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Workshop lights

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Workshop lights

Postby Mike G » 25 Aug 2014, 19:55

Thinking ahead a bit.........

What lights do you guys have in your workshops? I had a series of 4' flourescent tubes in the last one, but the buzzing used to drive me nuts. What's the alternative?
Last edited by Mike G on 25 Aug 2014, 20:43, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby 9fingers » 25 Aug 2014, 20:41

Modern fluorescent work on high frequency ballast units these days so you don't get the buzzing.
This would be a low risk solution. about 12 watts per foot.

LED strips are all very trendy but I've yet to find hard comparison data on power efficiency and comparable light output and so have not tried them yet. Lots on ebay you could experiment with.

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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Mike G » 25 Aug 2014, 20:45

Oops......edited. Thanks Bob.

So do I have to ask for anything special if I buy flourescent fittings, or are any and all modern fittings now silent?
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby TheTiddles » 25 Aug 2014, 20:48

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Re: Workshop lights

Postby 9fingers » 25 Aug 2014, 20:55

Mike G wrote:Oops......edited. Thanks Bob.

So do I have to ask for anything special if I buy flourescent fittings, or are any and all modern fittings now silent?



I think both types are available still so ask for HF or high frequency fittings. These will possibly be marked instant start and or energy saving.

hth

Bob

Something like this?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6x-5-Ft-Twin- ... 3f2a732baa
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby DaveL » 25 Aug 2014, 21:32

Mike,
I have just swapped out most of the 5' fluorescent tubes in my shop for LED replacements, if you would like the tubes as spares, just ask, they are unloved in the corner of the shed.
Of course they will only be of use if you get 5' fittings.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Mike G » 25 Aug 2014, 21:34

What replacements did you get, Dave, and what do you think of them?
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby 9fingers » 25 Aug 2014, 21:40

Mike G wrote:What replacements did you get, Dave, and what do you think of them?



:text-+1:

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Re: Workshop lights

Postby DaveL » 25 Aug 2014, 21:42

I bought them from a chap selling on ebay, he lives between Basildon and Pitsea so I could pick them up, saved postages cost. I bought one to try and was so pleased with it went back the next week and bought the last 4 he had.
Not sure of the make, will have a look tomorrow, they are 25 watt power consumption.
The thing I am looking forward to is them coming at full brightness in the winter, the fluorescents came on slowly and dim, coming up to full brightness as they got warm.
You are welcome to pop over one evening to see what you think of them.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby 9fingers » 25 Aug 2014, 22:14

Dave, do yours plug in in place of the 5' tubes or are they the flexi strips running off 12volts?

Cheers

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Re: Workshop lights

Postby RogerS » 25 Aug 2014, 23:28

Just be wary of the colour temperature of whatever LEDs you might go for. Makes colour matching of stains a bit iffy. Personally I loath LED lights.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Woodbloke » 25 Aug 2014, 23:44

Four double 5' tubes and a 4' over the bench. Also two spots on the bench and LED lamps dotted around the place, pillar drill, lathe, sharpening bench and metalwork table - Rob
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby DaveL » 26 Aug 2014, 05:54

I did buy an LED strip to try out, it worked well when first installed, but it was a very cheap one direct from China and has started to fail. I now have replacement tubes in 5 5' and 1 4' fittings. I just had to remove the starter and bypass the choke, I could convert back if required, I still have all of the components.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby DaveL » 26 Aug 2014, 05:58

Roger, they do give a very white light, I am not into staining very much. I use black for the hats on turned snowman, not much else gets coloured.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby RogerS » 26 Aug 2014, 06:57

DaveL wrote:Roger, they do give a very white light, I am not into staining very much. I use black for the hats on turned snowman, not much else gets coloured.


Depends on the colour temperature of the bulbs. For example, TLC-Direct have about 3 or 4 ranging from 'warm white' to 'daylight' IIRC. Further fun comes when one of them dies a year or so on and you have them in your kitchen. Trying to match up the colour temperature of the replacement with the others is fun.

I also find their light pattern too focussed. Great for spot work, as Rob uses them, but for area lighting duff.

Some also cause RF interference on FM and DAB
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby DaveL » 26 Aug 2014, 09:23

RogerS wrote:Trying to match up the colour temperature of the replacement with the others is fun.

I already have a colour match issue in the kitchen, there are 4 R80 fittings, the standard lamps are 80 watts and last ~9 months. I went over compact fluorescent, which cost £22 each when I first bought them ~13 years ago, however they have now over doubled in price and being of a tight disposition I did not buy replacements and am trying out a number of different LED replacements.
RogerS wrote:I also find their light pattern too focussed. Great for spot work, as Rob uses them, but for area lighting duff.

I had to remount one of my fittings, I had it fixed to the side of a rafter, this worked fine with the fluorescent, but the LED needs to point down. The LEDs are all facing down now, at a height of about 8' which gives a reasonable spread of light at working level.
RogerS wrote:Some also cause RF interference on FM and DAB

I have very poor FM reception, so it is not used but the little DAB radio in the shop still works OK with the new lights. I would guess that the interference is caused by a poorly designed switch mode power supply, built to a price, not considering EMC.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Robert » 26 Aug 2014, 09:36

Shows how much things change. It was only just over 8 years ago I was manufacturing lighting and I've never seen LED filled fluorescent tube replacements. I had to google search to see what they are.

It comes down to preference and budget in the end. Personally I wouldn't go for open battens. Dirt/dust will knock the efficiency of any light source so I'd suggest GRP/polcarbonate enclosure type fluorescent if going for tubular lighting.

I have 2 twin 35W T5 GRP enclosure fitting in my workshop providing general lighting. T5 lamps only run from electronic ballasts so there is no flicker or flashing to start. They do start at about half brightness and warm up in a minute or two to full output. Another reason not to have open battens - flu lamps are designed to run warm for best output and they may not reach temperature in an open batten.

Once I get time to get back to getting my workshop up and running I'll be adding LED spots for task lighting. Always good to have stronger light just where you need it.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby RogerS » 26 Aug 2014, 09:43

DaveL wrote:.... I would guess that the interference is caused by a poorly designed switch mode power supply, built to a price, not considering EMC.


Possibly but in my case they are fed from a transformer and so no switch mode PSU. So definitely the LEDs themselves. I did speak to TLC-Direct and they recognised that in some cases it is a problem and so they sent me some 'ferrets' (sic) to go in the leads feeding the LEDs.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby 9fingers » 26 Aug 2014, 09:54

RogerS wrote:
DaveL wrote:.... I would guess that the interference is caused by a poorly designed switch mode power supply, built to a price, not considering EMC.


Possibly but in my case they are fed from a transformer and so no switch mode PSU. So definitely the LEDs themselves. I did speak to TLC-Direct and they recognised that in some cases it is a problem and so they sent me some 'ferrets' (sic) to go in the leads feeding the LEDs.



A simple led cannot create rf interference. Possible causes are the transformer which despite being called a transformer is in fact a switch mode device - usually a giveaway when it is too light to have lumps or iron and copper in it or the led lamp itself has some for of switch modery in it to drop from the nominal 12v(?) to the 1.5v ish that the LED itself wants.

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Re: Workshop lights

Postby RogerS » 26 Aug 2014, 10:29

Definitely a transformer, Bob. When it was put in, switch mode PSU's were not around. No interference when we used 12v halogen lamps. The only thing we have replaced is putting in the LEDs.
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Rod » 26 Aug 2014, 10:36

I replaced my lights with 5' HF (flicker free) doubles from TLC - I use 4 sets.
Also have various spots and LEDs on pillar drill, lathes, bandsaw etc.
You can never have enough light especially when you get older?

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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Mike G » 26 Aug 2014, 10:51

Rod wrote:............from TLC.........


Who? What? Where?
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Robert » 26 Aug 2014, 10:54

Mike G wrote:
Rod wrote:............from TLC.........


Who? What? Where?


http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/
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Re: Workshop lights

Postby Rod » 26 Aug 2014, 17:35

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Re: Workshop lights

Postby TheTiddles » 26 Aug 2014, 23:31

RogerS wrote:Definitely a transformer, Bob. When it was put in, switch mode PSU's were not around. No interference when we used 12v halogen lamps. The only thing we have replaced is putting in the LEDs.


Really?! They've been about for at least 40 years.

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