Harbor Freight and Hobby Lobby are two places you need to know your prices. Like Hobby Lobby has a gallon of regular Elmers white glue for 25.95 where Walmart has the same gallon for 12.95 or less and Harbor Freight has this add for a new product for 29.95

  Last Thursday we bought the same type only 2 led 5000 lumens for 19.95 at Walmart. And this type with the metal covering the top of the bulb is not as good as the fixtures that have only the box and no reflector so the light will shine on the ceiling also which helps light up the area much better. I put the good kind in my shop and this kind in wife's shop...I replaced  a fixture for her that had the starter go bad and the starter would have cost more than the new fixture with led bulbs and all of her fixtures have the older duller bulbs.....but at that time the LED T 8's were not available.  

  Don't know how many people as versed on all the types of Led replacement bulbs there are and

what might be the best for anyone. Especially if you already have T 8's but with the older dimmer bulbs.

Well I found 1000 bulbs.com has some real good clear explanations for the 4 or 5 types available.  

 

All the items a person can get from both Hobby Lobby and a regular store the regular store prices are almost always cheaper... We didn't figure in the 40% discount on any one item if you take a picture of the discount thingy to show the clerks  so I don't know how that figures in... but something we started to get the other day we decided to go to Lowes or HD and it was much cheaper than HL..

I try to only shop at Hobby Lobby for a few items and then always have the 40% coupon with me. I get a quart of Alumilite casting resin for about $20.  I did get some of the LED replacement tubes from WalMart, what a difference in the amount of light!

Led bulbs (at least the 4 foot type) are not omnidirectional and the bulb if removable must be mounted with the led pointing downward. Therefor there is no way it can shine on the ceiling. Reflectors intensify the light by not scattering it , or at least florescent  do . Not as much with led as the light is pointed downward. I do wonder how much difference opaque vs clear cover makes as I have both. Of note is the clear looks brighter when you look at the bulb because you are looking directly at the diode. Also difference in lights is they may be the same color temperature 5000K but produce different amounts of light 2200 lumen vs 2400l.

47 minutes ago, Gerald said:

Led bulbs (at least the 4 foot type) are not omnidirectional

Very true.  I bought 4 tp replace 2 of my 4 foot fixtures in add on shop.  Brighter directly, yes.  But they point straight down and no deflection as you pointed out.  They are okay, but Home Depot had 3ft LED fixtures on sale for $10 while supplies lasted.  Got 4 and put them up in various places.  Much better even though they are shorter.  Put one up on each end of this small shed and wow lots of light.  In the shop a quick test of turning it on and off to see if it outshined the 4 ft Florescent tubes showed promise.  No too bad and it did improve the lighting just above and in front of the Drill Press.  But they also do cast more shadows.  Same was true but worse with the 4 ft drop ins.  It's a give and take to some extent.  Lots of choices to be had.

 

My progress toward changing out all the florescent fixtures has been slow as I get one of a certain type and see how it goes.  Have a few more coming in next few weeks hopefully an improvement I can see real progress with, and not have a Chernobyl meltdown occur in my wallet.

 

 

I recently changed out all the old 4' florescent bulbs in my shop for new ballast free LEDs.  It was very easy, the new bulbs used the old tombstones.  A tremendous improvement.  I think I paid about $7.75 per bulb at an electrical supply (City Electric Supply).

Cal that is the way I am headed for I understand they last longer than the led's that has top be used with a ballast.. They also have the led which can be used with a ballast then when the ballast goes it can be taken out and the same bulb will work either way.... More expensive though.

3 hours ago, Cal said:

I recently changed out all the old 4' florescent bulbs in my shop for new ballast free LEDs.  It was very easy, the new bulbs used the old tombstones.  A tremendous improvement.  I think I paid about $7.75 per bulb at an electrical supply (City Electric Supply).

I did the same ordered 40 bulbs and replace as the old type go out. I know guys who have the ppen ones that say they are too bright.

Herb

Herb they must be young guns for the lights to be too bright...…  I will be working on something and look up to see if I forgot to turn the lights on and it will be daylight out side...I thought my new pickup had extra bright lights when I bought it in 98. Now the new cars and pickups seems to be a few times brighter.

9 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Cal that is the way I am headed for I understand they last longer than the led's that has top be used with a ballast.. They also have the led which can be used with a ballast then when the ballast goes it can be taken out and the same bulb will work either way.... More expensive though.

Get rid of the ballast, much better.  Who wants to get on a ladder and change a ballast when the LED doesn't have to have one?

1 hour ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Get rid of the ballast, much better.  Who wants to get on a ladder and change a ballast when the LED doesn't have to have one?

I think Patch is using the same kind I am, that can be used in the old fixtures with or without ballasts. I wired some around the ballast because the ballast was bad, and also have some just replaced with the ballast still in place because I didn't want to take the fixture down and rewire around the ballast. I can't tell the difference between the two as far as output goes, maybe it burns more power leaving the ballast in, I don't know. I have (58) 4' tubes in my shop, so there are no shadows.

Herb

Gerald I use the led bulbs that are frosted and you can't see the little leds and yes they do direct light up but we bought some like you are talking about for wifes shop and I don't like them ..

I only have 4 ea. two bulb 8' lamps in the shop. I'd really like to convert to LEDs but, man, are they expensive for the 8 footers. I'm thinking I might try to get by with some goose necks with LED screw ins for close work.  Got one for the band saw and it really helps.

1 hour ago, Gene Howe said:

I only have 4 ea. two bulb 8' lamps in the shop. I'd really like to convert to LEDs but, man, are they expensive for the 8 footers. I'm thinking I might try to get by with some goose necks with LED screw ins for close work.  Got one for the band saw and it really helps.

Lew, Rockler runs some pretty good sales on LED 4' lights, with or without the fixture. I need one more light in my shop plus several LED replacement bulbs. What we need in our shops is a roof like some of the football stadiums have. You push a button and the roof comes back. Just think of all the electricity we would save.    

@Gene Howe It is cheaper to buy two 4 foot led fixtures than two 8 foot tubes and more light. My shop was all 8 foot when we bought the house and now in process of removing the last one. Oh and transporting those 8 foot tubes is nerve racking.

 I buy items for Christmas tree ornaments at Hobby Lobby. First thing you see is "Half price"

on every item. I firmly believe it is all hype and  they would like made to make you feel like you got a real bargain.

Given that, it is a place that fills a niche or for today's hobby/craft people.  You need it, they have it NOW. As for buying LED lights, I use the internet to get specifics before I shop. Most times Amazon will have it cheaper and delivered to you door in 2 days. Retail is changing dramatically.

 I shop at HD, why? I have store less than half mile away.

Edited December 28, 20187 yr by Ron Altier
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14 minutes ago, Gerald said:

@Gene Howe It is cheaper to buy two 4 foot led fixtures than two 8 foot tubes and more light. My shop was all 8 foot when we bought the house and now in process of removing the last one. Oh and transporting those 8 foot tubes is nerve racking.

I just might do that. Two of the four are on chains from a 12' ceiling. Gonna be nerve wracking for this unsteady old man. 

11 hours ago, hawkeye10 said:

What we need in our shops is a roof like some of the football stadiums have. You push a button and the roof comes back. Just think of all the electricity we would save.    

  My wife's cats already get creative in ways to get into the shop and have to inspect it.  More than once I have gone to use a tool, there sits the cat looking at me with that look,  "What I am here come back later!"

I not lookin to the day I need to change... I need 52 eight footers....

33 minutes ago, Kevin Beitz said:

I need 52 eight footers....

Yeah, that is going to be a chunk of change to purchase.  Never mind install.  I just got done doing 15 in the shop and another 8 fixtures under the carport.