49tandc
Member
I've had old T-12 florescent lighting in my shed for 20 years now. Three rows of four 2-bulb metal fixtures. Center of building is 16 ft tall. Had typical florescent issues - flickering, dim sometimes, especially when below 50 degrees, humming ballast, hard to replace the center row bulbs... I recently bit the bullet and bought some "Bypass Ballast" LED bulbs that use the old fixtures and tombstones, but require no ballast at all. While I was rewiring the fixtures (VERY EASY), I thought - Huh! I could mount some tombstones in an eight foot piece of PVC rain gutter and mount this over my toolboxes. I could also use these 'rain-gutter' fixtures down the center isle of our barn. These bulbs are 2400 Lumens each and are suited for damp conditions - just cannot use a dimmer with them, but didn't intended to.
I went to HD and bought a 10 ft section of PVC gutter. The metal gutter is more rigid, powder coated white outside, but grey inside where PVC was white inside and out, so better reflection. I cut it down to 100 inches and mounted the tombstones. (8-32 X 3/4 in little bolts and a drop of Gorilla glue on each tombstone because I'm **** about things being mounted well). Only one end of the bulbs get the wiring, the other tombstone just holds the bulb in place. I wired up the tombstones in the middle and drilled a whole in the PVC for the wires to feed thru and connect to my power (facing away from each other to give me an 8' strip of light) . I screwed an 8' piece of 1 X 4 pine to the top for some structural integrity, screwed in some eye bolts into the wood - one at each end and one in the middle for hanging the thing. Connected to power, turned on the switch and received immediate gratification!
These things work like a champ!! Instant on, no flickering, no heat, no real weight and great light.
Bulbs are $10-15 each depending on where you get them. Tombstones are @1.99 a pair at Ace Hardware. I first bought 4 bulbs at Ace @ $15 each, but they included new tombstones. Gutter itself is under $4 if you do not want too use the ends. The gutter-ends add another $7, but look nice and "finished". On the high side this makes about $42 for an 8 ft fixture. Then I got a box of 25 bulbs online for $10 each with free shipping.
If you want to experiment, try making a just a 4 ft one with just one bulb. You will be pleased. Once you make one, you will instantly think of other places that need additional light or other nifty things to hand the tombstones on. Like a rain gutter one (will accept damp conditions), outside over the Garage door opening ad wire it to the garage door opener... and this type of setup may be the answer. Its also the last light you will have to buy.
49T&C
I went to HD and bought a 10 ft section of PVC gutter. The metal gutter is more rigid, powder coated white outside, but grey inside where PVC was white inside and out, so better reflection. I cut it down to 100 inches and mounted the tombstones. (8-32 X 3/4 in little bolts and a drop of Gorilla glue on each tombstone because I'm **** about things being mounted well). Only one end of the bulbs get the wiring, the other tombstone just holds the bulb in place. I wired up the tombstones in the middle and drilled a whole in the PVC for the wires to feed thru and connect to my power (facing away from each other to give me an 8' strip of light) . I screwed an 8' piece of 1 X 4 pine to the top for some structural integrity, screwed in some eye bolts into the wood - one at each end and one in the middle for hanging the thing. Connected to power, turned on the switch and received immediate gratification!
These things work like a champ!! Instant on, no flickering, no heat, no real weight and great light.
Bulbs are $10-15 each depending on where you get them. Tombstones are @1.99 a pair at Ace Hardware. I first bought 4 bulbs at Ace @ $15 each, but they included new tombstones. Gutter itself is under $4 if you do not want too use the ends. The gutter-ends add another $7, but look nice and "finished". On the high side this makes about $42 for an 8 ft fixture. Then I got a box of 25 bulbs online for $10 each with free shipping.
If you want to experiment, try making a just a 4 ft one with just one bulb. You will be pleased. Once you make one, you will instantly think of other places that need additional light or other nifty things to hand the tombstones on. Like a rain gutter one (will accept damp conditions), outside over the Garage door opening ad wire it to the garage door opener... and this type of setup may be the answer. Its also the last light you will have to buy.
49T&C
