Shopsmith Forums

I did the second fixture today. Now with 2 done I can see that not only will they be cheaper to use but I think I can eliminate at least one fixture in the shop, maybe even 2......

I did measure one of the old florescent fixtures, two 32 watt T8 tubes = 64W measured at 56, not sure why.

Before making any new changes I had 11 fixtures on 6 switchable branches. So each fixture at 56 watts would yield 616W. The new LEDs are 35 watts per fixture so that amounts to 385W. If I can get rid of two fixtures then I'm down to 315W.

Not that many years ago I had been using over a 1000W for light so this amounts to a pretty major power reduction if I do replace them all.

Still not going to worth it just for the power savings but the brighter lights might be very useful. I think I will order 4 more bulbs this month then again in June and July and August. At that point I can see if I can get away with the reduction of a couple of the fixtures.

These fixtures and what you have to do to make them work are not going to be your average DIY project. If only it was as easy as they claim. I'll time myself on the next one but I'm sure it is over an hour per. I might try and find a few ways to make it faster. Equally taking the time to get out all the tools and supplies could add a bit more time, I had everything still out so the second one seemed faster......

Anyway I think this is about it for this thread.

Ed

I though all you had to do was wire two leads ( one white and one black) from each tube tombstone to 120 bypassing the ballast?

Your fixtures have a built in ballast but the fixtures I have have power into a ballast box and then four leads out 2 to each tube.

Do they come with a schematic? What does it look like?

Ed in Tampa wrote:I though all you had to do was wire two leads ( one white and one black) from each tube tombstone to 120 bypassing the ballast?

Your fixtures have a built in ballast but the fixtures I have have power into a ballast box and then four leads out 2 to each tube.

Do they come with a schematic? What does it look like?

If you have a fixture with a ballast and wires coming out of that then it is a lot easier then what I have to do. Look at my earlier pictures, there is electrics at both ends and integrated end caps. I have to cut traces, add wires, and rewire to get things to work. I also have a switch in mine that I'm keeping and then there is a safety ground tap that has to be dealt with. I'm trying to use the same wire that runs the far end and that is too short so I have to add in some jumpers..... anyway for me and my fixtures this is rather a pain to have to deal with.

I'll get you a scan of the paper work later.

Ed

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His switch should wire into the black or load .

Four more tubes arrived today, wired and installed. Timed myself and it still takes me just under 45 minutes per for the changes.

Ed

New month and new LED bulbs arrived today. I went with a different style bulb this time, one that is powered on only one end. Since the fixtures I have are very different and not as simple to redo as I would like I figured I'd try these.

I still have to cut traces but on only one end. I still have to rewire but only on one end. These bulbs make it much faster. The only issue I have is now I will have to have two different spare bulb types. I guess I can live with that.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DJ ... UTF8&psc=1

After reinstalling the fixtures it is very clear that I can and will get by with two less fixtures then I had to start with. So the added efficiency and reduction of the two fixtures is a pretty decent power reduction.

Ed

reible wrote:New month and new LED bulbs arrived today. I went with a different style bulb this time, one that is powered on only one end. Since the fixtures I have are very different and not as simple to redo as I would like I figured I'd try these.

I still have to cut traces but on only one end. I still have to rewire but only on one end. These bulbs make it much faster. The only issue I have is now I will have to have two different spare bulb types. I guess I can live with that.

20170607_163026_resized.jpg

20170607_163123_resized.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DJ ... UTF8&psc=1

After reinstalling the fixtures it is very clear that I can and will get by with two less fixtures then I had to start with. So the added efficiency and reduction of the two fixtures is a pretty decent power reduction.

Ed

I have 11 8' fixtures in my shop with 4' tubes. At $10 per tube that is $440 to replace the tubes. When I built the shop I only paid $550 for the 11 fixtures, the bulbs and the wiring for it all. 7 years later I have not had a tube fail and I have a bunch of extra tubes because I bought the bulk packs. I have more than enough natural light because of the large windows that I don't need any extra brightness that the LED's would/might provide.

I have replaced the incandescent bulbs in my SS task lights with LED's and they do make a difference.

Family Handyman magazine ( which I am finding more useful than most "woodworking" mags)
did an article on Changing Florscent to LEDs. One comment caught my eye in reference to using tubes that still used the ballast. They stated the obvious, that the ballast will eventually wear out, which adds $30-$45 dollars to the overall cost.

A month ahead of scheduled, I have finished my last sets of bulb replacement and fixture reworking. I went ahead and did the full boat of them but will be turning off two of them for normal times and have those two for times when it might be nice to have the additional light. With all the lights on the shop now uses 348 watts.

Here is a picture to show it happened...........
Ed