sda
Active Member
Costco is selling 4' "twin tube" LED shoplight type fixtures for 35.99 or so.
My neighbor loaned me one to test out.
The tubes are not replaceable, no switch, they can't be hardwired without some surgery. And they're ugly.
Costco also sells 4' LED replacement tubes for 36.99 a pair. Found these in Portland (they also have Gelato), don't know about availability elsewhere.
I did come comparisons with my Kill-A-Watt meter. YMMV.
Standard Utilitech 4' twin tube fixture from Lowes.
With 2 Sylvania Octron Eco tubes, 4100K, 2600 lumens (each), 32 watts (each)
5200 lumens (total), 64 watts (total)
Kill-A-Watt reading 48W.
Edit: Increased to 51W after fully warmed up.
Standard Utilitech 4' twin tube fixture from Lowes.
Wtih 2 FEIT LED tubes, 4100K, 1700 lumens (each), 17 watts (each)
3400 lumens (total), 34 watts (total).
Kill-A-Watt reading 31W.
Complete FEIT 4' fixture from Costco.
With integral LED "tubes", 4000K, 3700 lumens (total), 38 watts (total).
Kill-A-Watt reading 35W.
2015/07/13
Standard Utilitech 4' twin tube fixture from Lowes.
With 2 "USA GREENLIGHTS" tubes from ebay, 5000K, 2300 lumens (calculated,each), 20 watts (each).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271912151251 20w, clear
These can be used with or without a ballast. To use without a ballast, you need to do a minor rewire of the tombstones to supply hot to one end of the tube and neutral to the other.
Rewired fixture for 120V, no ballast.
4600 lumens (total), 40 watts (total).
Kill-A-Watt reading 34W.
Observations.
The LED bulbs are definitely brighter than the fluorescents. Even though the lumens are higher, the LED's concentrate the light down and not in all directions.
No discernible difference in light or color between the LED tubes and the complete LED fixture.
The Costco complete fixture (and tubes) is slightly shorter than the standard fixture.
No hum!! I've got a bunch of old fixtures in my shop and it sounds like killer bees when they're on.
There's a slight afterglow in the standard fixture with the LED tubes. Ballast discharge?
If you want a cheap plug in shoplight, then the Costco fixture is the way to go.
If you want something that looks better, pick a T8 fixture you like and put in LED tubes.
2015/07/13
The ebay tubes are noticeably brighter and whiter than the Costco LED fixture or tubes.
Being clear, they are better suited for use inside a fixture with a lens than bare.
Looking directly at them, you can see each LED and its not pleasant.
My neighbor loaned me one to test out.
The tubes are not replaceable, no switch, they can't be hardwired without some surgery. And they're ugly.
Costco also sells 4' LED replacement tubes for 36.99 a pair. Found these in Portland (they also have Gelato), don't know about availability elsewhere.
I did come comparisons with my Kill-A-Watt meter. YMMV.
Standard Utilitech 4' twin tube fixture from Lowes.
With 2 Sylvania Octron Eco tubes, 4100K, 2600 lumens (each), 32 watts (each)
5200 lumens (total), 64 watts (total)
Kill-A-Watt reading 48W.
Edit: Increased to 51W after fully warmed up.
Standard Utilitech 4' twin tube fixture from Lowes.
Wtih 2 FEIT LED tubes, 4100K, 1700 lumens (each), 17 watts (each)
3400 lumens (total), 34 watts (total).
Kill-A-Watt reading 31W.
Complete FEIT 4' fixture from Costco.
With integral LED "tubes", 4000K, 3700 lumens (total), 38 watts (total).
Kill-A-Watt reading 35W.
2015/07/13
Standard Utilitech 4' twin tube fixture from Lowes.
With 2 "USA GREENLIGHTS" tubes from ebay, 5000K, 2300 lumens (calculated,each), 20 watts (each).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271912151251 20w, clear
These can be used with or without a ballast. To use without a ballast, you need to do a minor rewire of the tombstones to supply hot to one end of the tube and neutral to the other.
Rewired fixture for 120V, no ballast.
4600 lumens (total), 40 watts (total).
Kill-A-Watt reading 34W.
Observations.
The LED bulbs are definitely brighter than the fluorescents. Even though the lumens are higher, the LED's concentrate the light down and not in all directions.
No discernible difference in light or color between the LED tubes and the complete LED fixture.
The Costco complete fixture (and tubes) is slightly shorter than the standard fixture.
No hum!! I've got a bunch of old fixtures in my shop and it sounds like killer bees when they're on.
There's a slight afterglow in the standard fixture with the LED tubes. Ballast discharge?
If you want a cheap plug in shoplight, then the Costco fixture is the way to go.
If you want something that looks better, pick a T8 fixture you like and put in LED tubes.
2015/07/13
The ebay tubes are noticeably brighter and whiter than the Costco LED fixture or tubes.
Being clear, they are better suited for use inside a fixture with a lens than bare.
Looking directly at them, you can see each LED and its not pleasant.