Garage light replacement

Advice is sought about a light.

I'm having electrical work done. The garage is about 3 X 6 metres and 2.7 metres high with an existing twin fluorescent light 1.2 metres long, gives ample light. They may be 36 watts each, 3350 lumens, and for the garage a single tube may suffice. The light is used for 15 minutes a week, if that.

As this is an old fitting I wish to replace it. The garage light will not be used much so it may be best to buy a batten that takes the existing fluorescent tubes. However, it seems that these use rather more power than LEDs or CFLs. It was simple for all the other lights - CFLs are now LEDs. The very low use means that an LED light is not justified.

The existing tubes are quite dirty, and a covered batten may be best, easier to clean.

The variety of options and (for me) somewhat technical nature of them makes it hard to determine what sort of light to get. It seems that a single tube of 3350 lumens will suffice, and maybe use the existing fluorescent tubes until they cease to work. A covered light will make it easier to clean - no need to remove the tube.

Comments about the above would be valued. TIA.

 

Philips 11W 2ft Diffused LP20 SmartBright Daylight LED Batten

You can't go wrong with LED.
What I would do though, if its a double garage, is to get the onsite sparky to install the above light above the centre of both cars. This way you will get much better distribution to all areas, plenty of coverage and limited shadows.

If a sparky is onsite, this would take probably an hour max to do both lights. Including the supply of the lights $150 maximum

 

If you're the last of the big spenders swap it out with these - linky

If they're dirty, give them a wipe with a rag.

 

Thanks. I'm supplying all the lights. LEDs are expensive, so paying more for small savings may not be justified; this is partly what I seek to determine. I do not know if an LED would be better. If an LED tube costs abut the same as a fluorescent tube then I may buy that. However, it may cost less to use the existing fluorescent tubes and wait for them to cease working. LEDs are superior to CFLs when the light is in use a lot. The cost-effective benefit is less with lights that are used less.

I have CFLs on external lights that are used very infrequently. The maths was something like buying an LED for over $20 to save 50 cents a year, payback time 40 years or so.

I am advised that an LED tube will fit the existing and new battens that take fluorescent tubes, so maybe buy that sort of batten. My goal is to put in the light that suits the garage, as if I was building a new place but with existing tubes, which may be used. It's a single garage, three metres wide. Comments about the points I made would be appreciated. I've numbered a few points; there may be more.

1 How much power is used by 1.2 metre fluorescent and LED tubes?
2 How many lumens do these two sorts of lights give off?
3 Is a single 1.2 metre tube adequate for a 3 X 6 metre garage?
4 Will the starter in the fluorescent batten be in circuit with an LED tube?

 

You're looking at it all wrong.
Leds are going to last longer than fluoros, so even if they don't pay back on energy savings, they will pay back in reduced maintenance over the next 20 years.
Also, if you have magnetic ballasts, you can just pop in LED tubes without changing anything. They start at around $20 each, is that really too much?

 

Not sure what happened with the link.

Philips T8 LED Tube 10.5W - 4 Foot (1200mm, 120cm)

$13.95 ea.

 

You are wrong @Burramys. Even if an LED fits the Fluro fitting, it may not reduce the power consumption. Its a bad move.

By your comments I am starting to think you are taking the ****. This is ridiculous chat for a light that's $20.

PS. LED's are often cheaper now

 

A fluorescent tube will last 20-30,000 hours. I do not know the use to date of the existing tubes. Suppose the two tubes have 5000 hours each left. For 15 minutes a week the use is about 12 hours a year, so the two tubes will last for 1000 years. If my 5000 hours estimate is out by a factor of 10 then the tubes will last 100 years.

This website
LED vs Fluorescent Tubes - Comparison in Energy Consumption, Lighting Performance & Efficiency - Metrosphere
gives an idea of the cost. For a single tube on 15 minutes a week the use is
fluorescent 0.5 Kwh
LED 0.2 Kwh
Difference 0.3 Kwh, or 20 cents. I see no point buying a more expensive LED tube now when I have two functional fluorescent tubes that will most probably outlast me. I may buy LED tubes when the current tubes cease to work. Paying $14 now to save 20 cents a year does not appeal.

Scott, thanks for the link. I was unaware that LED tubes cost so little. Doubtless in time the price will fall further.

I do not know what fitting to buy. One tube, two, how big? Please advise what sort of fitting you suggest and if an LED in a fluorescent fitting will or will not reduce power consumption. Some links would be nice. I can assure you that this is a genuine enquiry. I do not understand these electrical aspects and seek to increase my knowledge.

 

I reckon!
He wants to put in a new fitting (which will likely cost say $200) but keep the existing tubes???
Plus, a new fitting would have an electronic ballast, so you'd be then stuck with fluoros indefinitely.
LEDs not only have a much longer life (I call BS on a 30,000 life for fluoros), but also don't dim as they age.
But I guess it's pointless to try and give advice to someone that's made up their mind.

 

In the first post I said "As this is an old fitting I wish to replace it." I did not specify fluorescent or LED, just a new fitting. Later I asked:
"1 How much power is used by 1.2 metre fluorescent and LED tubes?
2 How many lumens do these two sorts of lights give off?
3 Is a single 1.2 metre tube adequate for a 3 X 6 metre garage?
4 Will the starter in the fluorescent batten be in circuit with an LED tube?"
I cannot locate advice about the above, and must conclude that nobody knows the answers. No matter.

I found this website
How Long Will Your Light Bulbs Last? — 1000Bulbs.com Blog
which says 30,000 hours for a fluorescent light. How long the fluorescent light will last is unimportant given that the history of the fluorescent lights I have is unknown and they will be used for very minimal time.

I have not made my mind up.

It seems from Spludgey's post above that an electronic ballast means having fluorescent lights forever. The advice I have from a lighting store is that fluorescent and LED lights can be used in the same fluorescent fitting. I am unaware of an LED fitting that takes fluorescent tubes. I will ask at the light shop.

 

That's going backwards.

 

I actually posted answers to all your questions above previously.
I gave you the light specification, the lifespan, the lux, the colour, the size, the cost, i told you that an LED light in a flouro fitting will not reduce power consumption (maybe only a little).

Ged rid of the flouro and buy a LED fitting/light for $20. 1.2m is plenty big enough... realistically, if it was me I would do the light change over myself. Just turn off the circuit.
A sparky will do the change in less than 10minutes. Using a new LED probably made your garage worth an extra $1000 because of its appeal and quality.

 

PS. A fluro is probably good for about 1000hours then it will start to dim.

 

I am a sparkies, i run my own business and I do these jobs weekly.

Go to your local wholesaler buy a brand new LED Phillips smart light type and put them in. I get them for 50 each. 1.2m long.

This is the best thing to do trust me.

 

Won' get a 1.2m fluro type LED fitting for 20 dollars mate, a decent Phillips one is around 50.

 

You must be losing money as a sparky, better tighten the straps.
Quick search for the phillips led smart. $25 for 4ft
He doesnt want a decent one

Philips 21W 4ft Diffused LP20 SmartBright Cool White LED Batten

 

Yes this would do the job.

 

Very fitting username!