Replies

1. 
   mikeinohio | Sep 28, 2021 03:37pm | #1

   In my experience, it's always the ballast. If you're comfortable with doing it yourself, you can still purchase replacement ballasts for about $20

   My shop has 18 of those fluorescent 4 foot twin-lamp shop lights. Over a few years time, I converted each fixture to LED tubes by removing the ballast and rewiring the sockets. I'm using 5000K bulbs so the shop is much brighter than with the old fluorescents. I wouldn't want to go back!

2. 
   kudzupatch | Sep 28, 2021 07:37pm | #2

   I agree, ballast. My shop it all florescent T8 bulbs and I have replaced about 1/4 of the ballasts.

3. 
   esch5995 | Sep 28, 2021 07:48pm | #3

   The Big Box store florescent shop lights(the plug in kind) don't have ballasts that are replacable if that is what you have, but they can be converted to LED rather easily. I have converted about a dozen so far. It's simply a matter of removing the failed ballast and replacing it with some 16 GA wire and small(orange) wire nuts. A quick Google search will yield the proper bulbs and they should come with instructions. I recommend getting a high CRI rated bulb, around 94-95 for the most color accurate light.

1. 
   elmaduro | Sep 28, 2021 10:43pm | #5

   Yeah -- no ballast. Now concered about when the other ones are going to fail. Might hafta look into the LED conversions.

4. 
   _mj_ | Sep 28, 2021 09:07pm | #4

   Bite the bullet and swap out each one for an led flat panel as the bulbs or anything else make them go dark. Find an electrical supply house, don't buy from a blue or orange box. Cheaper than you might think and better light than you can imagine.

   Find one-color panels in your chosen shade, the output is higher than the adjustable ones.

5. 
   elmaduro | Sep 28, 2021 11:37pm | #6

   Thanks all. Was used to bulbs burning out -- not the actual fixture. Going to check out MJ's flat panel suggestions..

1. 
   john_c2 | Sep 29, 2021 01:32am | #7

   Youll probably be forced to make the switch eventually. Best to start now, one at a time. Modern fixtures really are far superior.

6. 
   rob_ss | Sep 29, 2021 02:49am | #8

   Quite apart from any other consideration, the cost of running fluorescents can be high. 4' tubes run 57W so 104W for 2 tubes. 10 hours per KWh or 'unit' of power as sold.
   An LED equivalent would be brighter and a better colour at around 20-40W.
   Even with just LEDs, my workshop lighting runs at 600W - that would equate to 3KW (or two fairly beefy machines running continually) if fluorescent equivalents were used so over time it really adds up, especially as when I need the lights, the solar array is not pumping...

1. 
   esch5995 | Sep 29, 2021 05:39am | #9

   I agree with everything you say except better color. LEDs are notorious for having very poor CRI scores. You must check carefully to insure you get a CRI(color reproduction index) as high as possible the best I found was 95 (unfortunately the manufacturer Hyperikon seems to have gone bankrupt) but most are in the low 80s. While most florescents aren't much better you could find bulbs in the 97-98 range, a perfect score is 100 and equal to the light from halogen and unfrosted tungsten filament bulbs. It was for this reason I chose to convert my old fixtures rather than buy new ones it let me select the best possible bulbs.

7. 
   ysu65 | Sep 29, 2021 06:38am | #10

   I just replaced 26 T-8's with direct wire LED's. Power consumption went from 30W per bulb to 15W - per their specs. I replaced two ballasts already and two more were going bad. Plus two dead bulbs. So I got fed up and put in the LED's. No issues with lighting quality whatsoever.

   BTW, I have 24 used T-8's free to a good home. PM me.

8. 
   Tanner_Thompson | Sep 29, 2021 09:46am | #11

   yes possibly because of a burnt wire in the box so you can cut it and sodder a new wire in or you can just toss the lamp and buy a new one I had this exact same issue.

9. 
   karolinak12 | Jun 17, 2023 01:03pm | #12

   Yes, I agree in this case what you can do right? While there are numerous options available, one suggestion that may meet your needs is on the website. They offer a wide selection of LED lights and fixtures for residential applications.

   LEDLightsDirect.com is an online retailer specializing in LED lighting solutions. Here are some reasons why they might be a good option:

   Extensive Selection: LEDLightsDirect.com offers a broad range of LED lights, including bulbs, ceiling lights, wall sconces, and outdoor lighting. This allows you to find suitable options for different areas of your home.

1. 
   tbonetim | Jun 17, 2023 01:31pm | #13

   Old topic revised with spam.