LED Garage Lights

[Gary Fowler]

My lights are 6-bulb metalux ho. They have the shiny mirror like reflector. Bulbs are t8 5000k.

I fear I will loose lighting going to led with almost half the lumens.

May have to test a few out. But 50% less power for 40% less light isn't gonna work for me

I don't understand how the Lumen output is measured on the LED lights but for sure they are much brighter than any other light even at half the rating. I just replaced a couple of 5 year old LEDs that were getting dim with over 30,000 hours of life. I decided to try some comparison to different versions from the spot type I had and got one with a 360 degree of output. It was rated at 60 watt equiv. (14w actual ) 800 lumens but it puts out a tremendous amount of light from the overhead can light receptacle. The other bulb is 45 watt equiv (12 watt power consumption IIRC) spot light type and while much dimmer, it is adequate light. One of these is over my computer station and the other over my wife's station. They are actually too bright and I am thinking to swap them to the kitchen where they will be of better use.

I wouldn't worry about loosing light from a lower lumen rating. The LED's provide much greater light from each lumen produced than any other bulb.

 

[TMR]

The higher the Kelvin color temperature numbers, the "whiter" the light. 4000 K would be a warm white while 5000 K would be a brighter white. See below.


View attachment 452882



Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

So in my case probably should stay away from the 5000K "brighter" light and use 4000K "warm white". For hanging fluorescent replacement lights in a garage...some over work bench and other for ceiling lighting...anyone use the 3000K range which appears to be close to incandescent color?? Is the 4000 K better to "work under"??

Thanks...chart very helpful...TMR

 

[LD1]

I think the 5000k are about as close to natural outdoor light you can get. Anything over that, and there is a definate blue hue coming from the bulb. Lights mounted up higher I dont think it would be as big of a deal, but working directly under a bulb that is in close proximity, 5000k=perfect IMO.

 

[LD1]

I don't understand how the Lumen output is measured on the LED lights but for sure they are much brighter than any other light even at half the rating. I just replaced a couple of 5 year old LEDs that were getting dim with over 30,000 hours of life. I decided to try some comparison to different versions from the spot type I had and got one with a 360 degree of output. It was rated at 60 watt equiv. (14w actual ) 800 lumens but it puts out a tremendous amount of light from the overhead can light receptacle. The other bulb is 45 watt equiv (12 watt power consumption IIRC) spot light type and while much dimmer, it is adequate light. One of these is over my computer station and the other over my wife's station. They are actually too bright and I am thinking to swap them to the kitchen where they will be of better use.

I wouldn't worry about loosing light from a lower lumen rating. The LED's provide much greater light from each lumen produced than any other bulb.

I understand what everyone is saying about LED's have all their lumens pointing down, thus better than the average el-chepo fixture.

I just find it hard to believe I would get equal light output to what I have now with half the lumens.

Here is what I have

They have a mirror-like reflector. You can see I am not loosing may lumens to the ceiling

 

[dragoneggs]

Personally I'm liking my 4000k lights for my garage. It is definitely White to me. Don't see the yellowish warm cast my wife likes from incandescent lighting inside. Part of my struggles in converting her over to LEDs in the home.

 

[fordmantpw]

Personally I'm liking my 4000k lights for my garage. It is definitely White to me. Don't see the yellowish warm cast my wife likes from incandescent lighting inside. Part of my struggles in converting her over to LEDs in the home.

There are plenty of LEDs available in the 2700K-3000K range, which is close to that of standard incandescents. We put 5000k throughout our house except in the bedroom, where we like a softer like. We love the bright white look everywhere else and just makes things much brighter.

 

[dragoneggs]

There are plenty of LEDs available in the 2700K-3000K range, which is close to that of standard incandescents. We put 5000k throughout our house except in the bedroom, where we like a softer like. We love the bright white look everywhere else and just makes things much brighter.

Yes there are, but the ones I have tried in the kitchen recessed lighting cans that are dimmable, don't seem to put out the same intensity light as the 65watt indoor floods on a side by side comparison. As much as I tried to sell them to the wife we ended up compromising. The four 'area' lights I switched to LED 'floods', the one over the sink and one of the prep area remain old school. I even tried to switch them out again when she wasn't home and she noticed! :ashamed:

 

[wawajake]

Well I am one of the stubborn incandescent light users........at least in my 24 x 24 garage, because quite frankly in the summer I don't need interior lights for any significant amount of time , and it don't get dark until I am already long out of the garage. So in summer having the big garage door open is usually enough lighting. However in the winter , although I keep my garage above freezing ( Canadian Winters!) with a wood stove maybe every few days, many times just by leaving a few light fixtures on ( 40 or 60 watt bulbs) it is enough to keep the temperature above freezing before the next time I run the wood stove.
So I am happy to buy up the incandescents on sale at the hardware store these past few years . T each his own, I just can't see paying ten bucks for a bulb that hurts my eyes and provides no heat. ...call me stubborn

 

[davesl708]

Well I am one of the stubborn incandescent light users........at least in my 24 x 24 garage, because quite frankly in the summer I don't need interior lights for any significant amount of time , and it don't get dark until I am already long out of the garage. So in summer having the big garage door open is usually enough lighting. However in the winter , although I keep my garage above freezing ( Canadian Winters!) with a wood stove maybe every few days, many times just by leaving a few light fixtures on ( 40 or 60 watt bulbs) it is enough to keep the temperature above freezing before the next time I run the wood stove.
So I am happy to buy up the incandescents on sale at the hardware store these past few years . T each his own, I just can't see paying ten bucks for a bulb that hurts my eyes and provides no heat. ...call me stubborn

Glad you have a choice on incandescents. I use large CFL's for the same reason.

 

[newbury]

I understand what everyone is saying about LED's have all their lumens pointing down, thus better than the average el-chepo fixture.

I just find it hard to believe I would get equal light output to what I have now with half the lumens.

Here is what I have View attachment 452912

They have a mirror-like reflector. You can see I am not loosing may lumens to the ceiling

I find it hard to believe that you would even be concerned about replacing what looks like an almost new installation of T8 HO with the "flash in the pan" LED's. The run of the mill LED's are presently putting out about 100 lumens/watt
Cree has already shown 276 lumens per watt in lab demos.

Now for those of us that are replacing failing fluorescent fixtures or doing new construction the dropping price of LED's make them very viable. But the best solution may not be standard "tube" shaped fixtures. It might be better to just use LED strips or string lights.