Florescent light Replacement

@BobbyD posted:

How is the light diffusion compared to the fluorescent tubes? Are the LED's more directional?

I've seen some that are just flat panels (like the 2' x 4' ceiling tiles) and seem to spread the light well. They replace the entire fixture so may be a lot of work to install in a grid ceiling.

Some are pretty directional and problematic without a diffuser.  In a finished fixture, either surface mounted on ceiling or in a drop ceiling recessed fixture, when there is a diffuser panel, they provide a good spread of light in my case.  With surface mounted fixtures spaced 6 feet apart or so, light looks pretty uniform. There is more directly under a fixture when you need it, but the general light level is very good.

Surface mounted with side diffusion has an advantage.

Over the past year we have changed over to LED in several of our buildings.  The buildings that have suspended ceilings with drop in fixtures we simply cut the ballasts loose.  You can then connect all the wires on one end coming from the tombstones to the hot and all the wires coming from the other end to the common.  This requires LED bulbs that are duel ended.  A lot of bulbs today come combined duel and single ended.  With these fixtures that have a diffuser, you can use bulbs that are clear (you can see the LEDs).  Our tenants seem to prefer 4000K bulbs.

In the buildings with 8' strip fixtures, cut the ballast and wire hot to one end and common to the other.  We generally use 4000K bulbs where you cannot see the LEDs.  If we are doing a warehouse we use 6000K clear bulbs.  The light is great.  You should also install the little clips in the center of the 8' bulb so it does not sag.

I get all my bulbs on Amazon where the price is far lower than going to a regular store.  I personally do not think much of the 4' all in one fixtures the big boxes sell.  They are cheaply made and non repairable it seems.

I have yet to purchase tombstones.  Personally don't see the point.  Using 3500K bulbs largely gives you the same lousy light you get from the old style bulbs but if you are into really soft lighting I suppose it works.

The big difference is in the electricity usage.  While LEDs do draw power, as opposed to running the old style fixture, they draw nothing.  Take out the heat the old bulbs and ballasts generate as reduced load on your A/C and the savings really grows.

I purchased my lights on econolight.com.  They may be a bit more expensive, but they are higher quality lights than you will find at the home improvement stores.

Replaced the lights 8 years ago.  2x4 drop in lights and it is light night and day in the room.

Here is a picture with the old fluorescent lights

Another shot with the fluorescent lights

Here is a picture with the new LED lights

Here is a shot that captures some of the LED lights in the ceiling

I have to say that the conversion to LED lights is the best money I have spent.  The room was much darker with the fluorescent lights and looks better with the LED lighting.

As above, I replaced 2 four foot Florescent bulbs with one 3 foot LED fixture. More light, Almost too much.

Any comments about paint color fade with LEDS?