Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: DC on January 11, 2018, 04:54:58 pm

Title: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: DC on January 11, 2018, 04:54:58 pm
Does anyone know if these are safe for use over power tools? The first thing I learned in shop class was to never use florescent over a table saw. I'm thinking about changing out some lights and wondered if the new LED's would work. Also it might make it so I can use my chrono in the shop. :D
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: willie on January 11, 2018, 05:33:03 pm
first thing I learned in shop class was the teacher only had three finger on one hand.

What was the concern about florescents, specifically? Didn't they break just as easily as the incandescents?

I think some ac leds cycle at 60 hz also, at least the ones on my front porch.

https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/13400/what-invisible-flicker-do-different-types-of-light-bulbs-have
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: DC on January 11, 2018, 05:48:15 pm
I was taught that the 60hz cycle of the florescents would visual "stop" the saw blade due to it strobeing.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Buckeye Guy on January 11, 2018, 06:06:08 pm
We have already put $12000 worth of them in the cabinet shop have not seen a problem yet
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 11, 2018, 07:20:22 pm
I use both in my shop but I do prefer the LED's.

It's hard to get a chrono to work indoors
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: willie on January 11, 2018, 07:29:58 pm
Quote
would visual "stop" the saw blade

???
make a turning blade look like it was not spinning?
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: PaulN/KS on January 11, 2018, 08:14:34 pm
Quote
would visual "stop" the saw blade

???
make a turning blade look like it was not spinning?

It's also supposed to make a piece spinning on a lathe appear to be stopped. As stated before, the frequency of the flickering in a florescent light tube supposedly acts as a strobe light. Never seen it myself though...  ???
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: mullet on January 11, 2018, 08:23:18 pm
I have four sets in my shop and I can see my lathe spinning with no problem. And, if I can't focus on my bandsaw blade and I here it running I'm not putting my fingers close.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: DC on January 11, 2018, 11:42:47 pm
Quote
would visual "stop" the saw blade

???
make a turning blade look like it was not spinning?

Yup. It has to be just the right number of teeth and just the right speed. I think the demo I saw they shut the saw off and as the blade was spinning down it appeared to stop and then as it got slower it started to move again.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 12, 2018, 07:40:58 am
I swapped out my 4 foot flouros for 4 foot LEDs and the difference is astonishing. All the shadows and dark corners in my shop are gone. No cycling, no flickers, no slow start ups and no humming.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Pat B on January 12, 2018, 09:30:59 am
I've thought about getting a 4' LED to try. Glad to hear the good reports.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 12, 2018, 09:32:54 am
Pat I have (3) double 4' lights in my shop. Dad and I did just one of them and it was brighter than all three together as flouros. By the time we got all six LED bulbs and tombstones replaced we had to squint our eyes. Its crazy.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Pat B on January 12, 2018, 09:39:37 am
I might not want to see what LEDs will expose in my shop!   (A)   :o
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 12, 2018, 10:00:08 am
Heck, I can see in yours pics it needs some love in that shop! Clint doesn't approve of messy shops. I try to kinda keep mine kinda clean to kinda keep him off my butt.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: DC on January 12, 2018, 10:50:06 am
Pat I have (3) double 4' lights in my shop. Dad and I did just one of them and it was brighter than all three together as flouros. By the time we got all six LED bulbs and tombstones replaced we had to squint our eyes. Its crazy.
Tombstones??
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 12, 2018, 11:05:38 am
That is what they call the parts that each end of the bulb fits and twists into. When you switch from flouro to LED the far tombstone is just a "slave" and the wiring is twisted into one and fed to near end only. Hard to explain, but easy to do. And, you get to rip that heavy ballast out and trash it.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: bjrogg on January 12, 2018, 11:29:31 am
Has anyone had these LED's in for a few years? We put T-8's in our farm shop about five years ago. They are far superior to regular fluorescents. They have a nice white light and have kept it for five years now. They are hanging from a twenty foot ceiling. Our shop is heated but they are supposed to turn on in cold temperatures to. I don't know how T-5's compare.
I also don't know how LED's compare, but my brother in law said they switched the factory where he works over a year ago and they hate them. They are seriously considering putting T-5's back in. Like I said though I have zero experience with the LED's
Bjrogg
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: willie on January 12, 2018, 11:45:00 am
Quote
they switched the factory where he works over a year ago and they hate them

did  he say why?
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: bjrogg on January 12, 2018, 11:59:49 am
Yes he did but I can't remember what all of the reasons where. I don't know what type of LED's they where either. The only ones I've ever used are the one that replace incandescent screw in bulbs. They seemed really bright at first but after a few years got a more dim yellow light. If I can remember I'll try to give him a call. I have another friend who just recently put one LED in and so far loves it. He was thinking about switching to all LED. He want me to find out what kind my brother in laws shop used and what he doesn't like about them to.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: willie on January 12, 2018, 12:11:29 pm
thanks for offering to get the details.
now that you mention it, I just noticed that the led overhead is not quite as bright as I remember it being at first, and it's color has seemed to warm also.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: DC on January 12, 2018, 12:12:07 pm
I've been doing a bunch of Googling and it appears that they flicker sometimes if you use them with a dimmer. I can't imagine a factory would be using a dimmer though. Anyway my searching has made me think that my chrono would not work any better under LED's than it would under florescent t8's. I tried it yesterday with an incandescent bulb and it seemed to work so I'll probably cobble up something today to test it further. It would sure be nice to be able to use it in the shop.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: bjrogg on January 12, 2018, 12:15:58 pm
I sent my brother in law a text. He can be hard to get a hold of sometimes though. Hopefully he'll get back to me.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Hawkdancer on January 12, 2018, 12:16:16 pm
I put the LEDs over my main work area, saws, drill press, bow bench.  I haven't tried to convert the old fixtures, Just swapped out the fluorescents, I Like them.  Plenty of light, one has been in for 2 years, doesn't seem to be dimming.  I will probably phase out the floros as they quit functioning.  Btw, my shop/garage is so messy, I can't even find my troll, much less the round tuit to clean it out! >:D
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 12, 2018, 12:19:18 pm
LED bulbs of any kind require their own type of dimmer switch, standard dimmer switches make them hum and flicker at times.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: willie on January 12, 2018, 12:37:28 pm
the new porch light is a led. took this pic a while back when the snowflakes were coming down silver dollar sized. no dimmer in circuit.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: DC on January 12, 2018, 12:51:06 pm
And I think that's why the chrono won't work under them. Cool pic.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Pat B on January 12, 2018, 01:13:50 pm
So, these are LED tubes you add to a fluorescent fixture?  How much do they cost?
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: DC on January 12, 2018, 01:26:59 pm
Yes, you can get just straight "plug and play" ones or you can get kits to modify your fixtures. The P&P ones have a driver in the tube and the kits replace the ballast with a driver. Up here they are about $12 Can each for the P&P ones.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: bjrogg on January 12, 2018, 01:57:14 pm
My brother in law said they had problems with bulbs turning yellow. They replaced 75% under warranty. LED company thinks it's a problem with chemical vapors. He said they have some in different sections of building with no problems.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 12, 2018, 02:15:25 pm
So, these are LED tubes you add to a fluorescent fixture?  How much do they cost?

Free, if daddy buys them for you :) Actually, he didn't buy them either. The American Legion that he belongs to bought a huge batch to do all their lights. In the end he had 6 bulbs left and the Legion told him to just take them. I was the lucky recipient.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Eric Krewson on January 12, 2018, 02:49:15 pm
Leds don't need a ballast and have the end connectors wired differently than floros, the end connectors are called tombstones because of their shape
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: vinemaplebows on January 14, 2018, 11:45:42 am
Going to Led in my shop, have 2 4 ft lights out side under a covering for my rabbits I love them except one  thing......and this is important....Seems small flies can find their way into the tubes, have not took the time to figure this out, but it is a problem!

Bought from Costco.
Title: Re: LED T8 "florescent" tubes
Post by: Pappy on January 14, 2018, 06:32:32 pm
We are replacing all of them as the older ones go out with LED at Twinoaks and put all new in the kitchen we refurbished, I love them and they are a lot  cheaper to operate.  :)
 Pappy