The fluorescent bulbs in my shop are finally failing and I would like to replace them with LED bulbs. Outside of some simple wiring changes it appears pretty easy. Has anyone played with the different wavelengths and which one would be best for color balance in the shop ? I am reading reviews all the way from 2400k up to 6000k. 
Paul

I replaced all my old fluorescent with LED bulbs that bypassed the ballast but honestly I was just looking for bright. Never really considered the color balance 

I have tried to drop in replacements, both 4 ft and 8 ft ones.  Easy to do once you have done the 1st one.  BUT, not nearly the brightness verse getting new pure LED fixture.  I use 5000K, a decent balance on color spectrum.  Outside for the flood lights I use 6000K.

 

 

I think I started with 4000 and ended up liking the 5000

The ones in my shop are 5000k color matched.

That should be 5000 or 5k…. Famn dingers!!  pretty sure 5000k wouldn’t be in the visible spectrum

To my eyes the 5000 ones look brighter. I think a couple I have are 4200 which are close (but no banana). I like the 5000 ones so u mch that most of the LED lamps in the house are 5000 as well.

Edited February 2, 20224 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

I removed the ballasts and replaced them with direct wire bulbs at 1700 lumens, cool white.   Much brighter than the florescent bulbs and work well with my ceilings being not quite 8'.  I'm using just two bulbs in what were 4 bulb fixtures.

Thanks for the input. Looks like 5000 is the way to go. The previous owner installed a lot of fixtures. There are 8 8 foot bulbs and 4  4 footers in a 3 car garage. I may start with just doing one bulb in each fixture and see how it goes. There are several choices for lumens. It looks like it is dependent on the number of rows of LED’s on each bulb. 
Paul

Single pin sockets

 

https://greenlightdepot.com/collections/8ft-led-tubes?gclid=Cj0KCQiA9OiPBhCOARIsAI0y71B3QnTRj04COn6sk40k4lB_guI0Fg3NlLdtUF8QkCni0l7qWHLStg8aAvIsEALw_wcB

 

Conversion kit with light-

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ETi-48-Watt-4-ft-Linear-LED-Tube-Light-Bulb-Retrofit-Conversion-Kit-Replaces-8-ft-T8-T12-Fluorescent-Bulb-7200-Lumen-5000K-64101162/312096303

23 hours ago, Masonsailor said:

I am reading reviews all the way from 2400k up to 6000k. 

That's  the wrong data to look at.  You want high CRI bulbs  they simulate the sun's light better.

Crappy LEDS  make for terrible photographs  the ones in your smart phone are high CRI LEDs.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/high-cri-led

https://blog.1000bulbs.com/home/what-is-high-cri-led-lighting

 

It used to be terribly  expensive but it's getting cheaper

 

OOPS  it still is

https://ledt8bulb.com/led-t8-tubes/high-cri-led-tube.html  thousand dollar 4 foot tubes.

 

If you want good color from LEDs  you should probably  think about High CRI Spot lighting in specific places, like where you are finishing

 

If you want to experiment you can build your own https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/surface-mount-smd/samsung-high-cri-led-warm-white-5630-smd-led-92-cri/3219/6885/

You;ll need a step down transformer  to get DC  in a lower voltage and   then  the right Ohm resistors for the individual LEDs   etc.   I made an 8 foot strip light   for my entertainment room   some years ago before high CRI was available and it never  fully satisfied. 

 

50 minutes ago, Cliff said:

You;ll need a step down transformer  to get DC  in a lower voltage

Sorry Cliff but transformers only work on AC. You'll need to add a rectifier and filter circuit after the transformer to get smooth DC. A voltage regulator wouldn't hurt either

On 2/2/2022 at 8:08 PM, lew said:

Sorry Cliff

shoulda said switching power supply

Shoulda coulda woulda

21 minutes ago, Cliff said:

shoulda said switching power supply

Shoulda coulda woulda

Or an ac to dc brick

On 2/7/2022 at 12:00 AM, lew said:

ac to dc

gotta love them Canadians

Today I rewired the lighting fixtures and got all the new LED lights up. Wow what a difference. The reworking was very simple and only took about 5-10 minutes per fixture. 
Paul

I have been thinking of doing too. Problem is my ceiling is 15ft and I don’t have a ladder tall enough. Lol. Which kit did you go with.

@KevTN, You might consider LD rope lights. My 40X80 ceiling is sloped from 10' at the sides, to 15' at the center. A 300' roll of rope light provides very adequate general lighting. Harbor Freight 4' 5000 lumen hanging lamps are used for task lighting over my carving stations. 

Rather than rewire anything, I've just replaced tubes as the old fluor ones failed.  I started with a density of 2 watts/sq ft (equivalent watts) which was always the standard with office lighting in the old (fluor) days.  I think some industrial lighting went up to 2.5 wsf.  For an 8' ceiling painted white, and white walls, this works just fine.  [Higher ceilings don't change this; dark surfaces do require more watts for the same desk-level acuity.]  I think I've replaced them all because it's been a long time since I had to mess with one.  The LED tubes are about twice the cost of the old ones, but done over time I didn't really care since the LEDs are "plug compatible" with the existing fixtures, and the LEDs last so long and cost so little to run that they're worth it.  They run cooler too, although I'm not sure I can tell the difference when it's 110+ (I particularly can't tell the difference if I don't go there in the heat!).

Gene we have rope lights outside under the over head hanging of the house along the decks and rope lights are not near what the led tubes in the shop puts out. They are good enough to walk along the deck at night but for working under, not be considered.