well, I just didn't understand everything in this thread, so I bought 12 fixtures that took t12 bulbs with 24 bulbs for 200 bucks. Then I got 15 % off that price. If they don't work I am not out a ton of money. We are breaking ground on the garage today so ill be starting a thread on that as well.
I'll chime in here. I am in the industrial lighting business. It is true that most large industrials are now migrating over to LED. The reason for this is due to the rebates being offered by energy companies, and the increased maintenance cost of a standard HID or Flourescent. My 2 biggest LED lighting lines have warranties out to 5 years on their standard LED offerings. This is more than enough because with LED, if there is a problem with the driver, the fixture usually dies pretty quick. The life of these new fixtures are greater than 100k hours. My biggest selling point with LED is install it and forget it. If a company that I am calling on runs them 24 hours a day, they will last well over 11 years. With over 90% lumen maintenance.
With all new technology, price does continue to drop. In most industrial accounts that I sell LED to, they typically have a ROI of about 2.5 years. This takes into account cost of the new fixture, cost of replacement bulbs, ballasts, and about 10 other factors.
Question for the original post, How high are the ceilings in your garage?
Don't get me wrong, I still sell a ton of flourescent. In my garage I have T5 HO's and they are very bright.
Alot of companies who are strapped for cash are keeping their T8 fixtures and installing a LED tube instead of a flourescent bulb. Pretty cool LED fix.
InstantFit LED T8 Lamps | Philips Lighting
Let me know what you are looking for and I'll hook you up with a discount.
Please excuse the typo's.
Alot of companies who are strapped for cash are keeping their T8 fixtures and installing a LED tube instead of a flourescent bulb. Pretty cool LED fix.
InstantFit LED T8 Lamps | Philips Lighting
so would these be better?
Shop Metalux SNF Series Fluorescent Strip Light Common: 4-ft; Actual: 4-ft) at Lowes.com
If you go with a T8 LED tube and keep the existing T8 fixture and ballast, you are looking at roughly 40% energy savings. Standard T8 is about 32W. The same T8 LED tube is about 11 watts.
It will only be sporadically heated in the winter.
You guys also need to be looking at the how many lumens to wattage ration you'll get...
Now I got to learn what a ballast factor is.
Exactly. Figuring out the efficiency of the system is like MPG for your car. You want the most lumens per watt used - all other things being equal of course.
Yep...LEDs for the win, although not all LEDs are equal. Cree's has an exceptional lumens to wattage rating, perhaps one of the best.
...Crees are my go-to leds when building stupid bright led flashlights and light fixtures...
Ok, looks like I will be returning the t12's to lowes, and buying t8 fixtures, and putting LED bulbs in them. Stay tuned.
I've sold a lot of Cree in the past, but they've had quality issues that have burned a few of my customers (no pun intended).
This one's a whopper that has some BIG end users really pissed off. Cree Recalls LED T8 Lamps Due to Burn Hazard | CPSC.gov
Ok, looks like I will be returning the t12's to lowes, and buying t8 fixtures, and putting LED bulbs in them. Stay tuned.