What garage lighting

[eltax91]

Hi

The old tubes in my garage/ workshop have seen better days and are all starting to fail at the same time.

I think it's time to replace all the fittings rather than a couple of tubes at a time, principally because 4 of them are fixed to the rafter of the traditional cut roof (above my 2 post lift) and so access is going to be difficult. I will likely have to rent a scissor lift for the day for the task.

So, what would one recommend as good replacements for old school LED battens in this scenario?

[eltax91]

[Essel]

I had tubes in my garage that were getting a bit flickery and noisy, so finally got round to just replacing all the tubes with LED replacements. Easier than wiring new fittings in, and sufficiently bright.

[eltax91]

Essel said:

I had tubes in my garage that were getting a bit flickery and noisy, so finally got round to just replacing all the tubes with LED replacements. Easier than wiring new fittings in, and sufficiently bright.

I had considered that... but.... am I going to be back up there again, hiring another scissor lift because the 10yr old units themselves have gone pop?

Cos that feels like a bit of a false economy

[LFB531]

I did mine, initially with Screwfix batten LED's but they didn't react well with a bit of water coming in when the wind blew from a certain direction, swapped them out for some better quality ones with waterproof housing from an electrical supplier, all good now. I used a scaffold tower to do them.

[Harpoon]

I've got some different models of JCC LED batons in my garage but if I was doing them again, I'd probably go with the ToughLED version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjC8VT7WSlg

6ft selectable wattage and colour temp is £35:

https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/jcc-toughled-pro-c...

[LJF_97]

Could this be done using a movable tower rather than hiring a bit of plant?

My suggestion would be replace with like-for-like new LED units. A 10 year lifespan isn't so bad.

[Essel]

eltax91 said:

Essel said:

I had tubes in my garage that were getting a bit flickery and noisy, so finally got round to just replacing all the tubes with LED replacements. Easier than wiring new fittings in, and sufficiently bright.

I had considered that... but.... am I going to be back up there again, hiring another scissor lift because the 10yr old units themselves have gone pop?

Cos that feels like a bit of a false economy

Fair point, but i think once you've replaced the tube and starter, there's not a lot left to fail. Having said that, if you've got to get a lift, taking the opportunity of shiny new fittings seems like a good idea. I'd still go with like for like led batten replacements myself though.

[netherfield]

Once you've removed the starter, choke and ballast there's only the lamp holders left

Swapped mine out in the garage about 15 years ago, best thing I ever did, got sick of flashing tubes, soon as you sorted one out another one started acting up, LED's fire up immediately not had one failed yet.

[OutInTheShed]

I can't stand waiting for fluorescents to fire up.
So some instant LED lighting is key.
But some fluorescent 5 ft battens I got for free are great for 'extra' light.
You want lots of it from all directions.
I also have some spotlights over the bench.
And some under-shelf lights.

Just picked up some 10W outdoor floodlight from ebay for £2.50 a go average.
Also Toolstation were flogging off end of range outdoor 4ft LED battens for about £12 a while back. So I bought 4 which might go in the loft.

Mostly what you need is 'more' and versatile.

You can have the best in the world on the ceiling, but then you'll want to look low down at a car/boat/bike.
I've been in expensively equipped labs and made a difference with a battery LED worklight or two.

500W halogens are still prime for testing solar panels or warming up GRP work though....

[Panamax]

OutInTheShed said:

I can't stand waiting for fluorescents to fire up.

You can buy new tubes and starters massively cheaper than replacing the fittings with LED. It's only old age that makes fluorescents slow.

[Crafty_]

I've got 6 of these lighting up 50sqm https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MS6CCT.html

the roof in my garage is low so they are more than enough. A mate has a vaulted roof in his and he's done the same thing, his garage is a typical double but as the moutning points are higher he went for the same lights, not seen it yet but he's more than happy.

[eltax91]

Harpoon said:

I've got some different models of JCC LED batons in my garage but if I was doing them again, I'd probably go with the ToughLED version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjC8VT7WSlg

6ft selectable wattage and colour temp is £35:

https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/jcc-toughled-pro-c...

Ordered half a dozen of these today so thanks for the recommendation

[eltax91]

eltax91 said:

Harpoon said:

I've got some different models of JCC LED batons in my garage but if I was doing them again, I'd probably go with the ToughLED version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjC8VT7WSlg

6ft selectable wattage and colour temp is £35:

https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/jcc-toughled-pro-c...

Ordered half a dozen of these today so thanks for the recommendation

Fitted these over the weekend. Great build quality, plenty of pre-placed template to drill holes. Supplied with 3 types of hanging kit.

And now the garage is like day light!

[the-norseman]

My garage has 1x tube light in it, its like a candle, so I need to replace it with at least 3 tube lights will look into some of the above recommendations.

[tt601]

eltax91 said:

Fitted these over the weekend. Great build quality, plenty of pre-placed template to drill holes. Supplied with 3 types of hanging kit.

And now the garage is like day light!

I have the same make-brand and I also think they are brilliant.

I got mine from electricpoint if that offers anyone else an ordering option.

[eltax91]

the-norseman said:

My garage has 1x tube light in it, its like a candle, so I need to replace it with at least 3 tube lights will look into some of the above recommendations.

The outgoing lights of mine were double tube affairs. And they had T8 LED tubes in, 1/2 of which had failed. These are so much brighter/ whiter. It’s much more of a ‘clean’ working light.

I took two of the working fitting and 4 of the tubes a mounted them on the wall at knee height by my lift. Which should help with vision underneath

[Panamax]

Inspired by this thread I went out today to buy new fluorescent tubes and starters for my garage. Strange but true, my 5ft T12 tubes are apparently obsolete - after all, they're only about 40 years old. So after trying several shops I now have a pair of T8s (skinnier tubes) and new starters to instal tomorrow. Hopefuĺy start-up time will beat the previous 20 seconds and give better illumination too, all for £11.20. I shall report back in due course.

[Griffith4ever]

Essel said:

eltax91 said:

Essel said:

I had tubes in my garage that were getting a bit flickery and noisy, so finally got round to just replacing all the tubes with LED replacements. Easier than wiring new fittings in, and sufficiently bright.

I had considered that... but.... am I going to be back up there again, hiring another scissor lift because the 10yr old units themselves have gone pop?

Cos that feels like a bit of a false economy

Fair point, but i think once you've replaced the tube and starter, there's not a lot left to fail. Having said that, if you've got to get a lift, taking the opportunity of shiny new fittings seems like a good idea. I'd still go with like for like led batten replacements myself though.

Of all the LEDs that have failed me - LED tube replacements win the prize for the biggest heap of st out there - Osram were one batch , so its not just cheapies. I now only buy all in ones - they barely cost any more either.

[Byker28i]

I went with LED 600x600mm panel lights, only needed 4, 2 each side of the double garage.