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Re: [Shop-talk] flourescent to led changeover

To: shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] flourescent to led changeover
From: John Bach <jbach@swiftrecruiters.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:00:43 -0400
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My garage has 12 4 foot 2 tube fixtures. about 5 years ago I dumped all 
the fluorescent bulbs and ballasts and went to led. Tombstones were fast 
and easy to change. Only need to do 1 end. Rewiring took 5 minutes per 
fixture. I used all 5000k daylight bulbs. Tremendous difference. I now 
have light in corners that were just shadows. I am in NW Ohio where it 
gets very cold. I put some in my shed and trailer with no heat and they 
come on immediately. I don't know for you if 4 foot or 8 foot will be 
cheaper but I do know I would do it again. Actually option 1 sounds like 
the way to go if 1 8 foot ballast will light 2 4 foot bulbs. I don't 
know that answer. If you need to buy more ballasts that could be bad. I 
used all no-ballast bulbs. Good luck.

On 10/19/2026 1:09 PM, john niolon wrote:
> Hi all
> My 30 year old 8' t-12 (single pin) garage fixtures are slowly 
> dying...(4 total double tube)
> the old t-12s are hard to find and expensive (16-20 bucks a tube)
> Want to change to led... lots of options  - 8' led tubes are expensive 
> too ...
> I was gifted a box of 20 4' bi-pin bulbs that work with a 
> ballast...(heat sink)
> option 1
> if I use these I'd have to change all the tombstones to bi-pin and 
> figure out the
> shunted vs non shunted type...  AND find the 8' to 4' fixture 
> conversion kits (adding the middle tombstones
> option 2
> 8' type a led single pin tubes (about the same price as 8' 
> fluorescent) and use a ballast
> not great reviews when shipped...
> option 3
> replace all the crap with the internet specials  linkable stick lights 
> and hope they work
> comments on options ????
> questions... when using the ballast type plug and plays... aren't I 
> using more electricity using the ballast
> and heating it up... is there any savings here ???
> please educate the old dummy on best (least expensive) options
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Shop-talk@autox.team.net
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    <p>My garage has 12 4 foot 2 tube fixtures. about 5 years ago I
      dumped all the fluorescent bulbs and ballasts and went to led.
      Tombstones were fast and easy to change. Only need to do 1 end.
      Rewiring took 5 minutes per fixture. I used all 5000k daylight
      bulbs. Tremendous difference. I now have light in corners that
      were just shadows. I am in NW Ohio where it gets very cold. I put
      some in my shed and trailer with no heat and they come on
      immediately. I don't know for you if 4 foot or 8 foot will be
      cheaper but I do know I would do it again. Actually option 1
      sounds like the way to go if 1 8 foot ballast will light 2 4 foot
      bulbs. I don't know that answer. If you need to buy more ballasts
      that could be bad. I used all no-ballast bulbs. Good luck.</p>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 10/19/2026 1:09 PM, john niolon
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite"
      cite="mid:1UnKbQNUVE.L2SszN5vGEY@johns-desktop">
      <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
      <meta name="GENERATOR" content="MSHTML 11.00.10570.1001">
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">Hi all</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">My 30 year old 8' t-12 (single
          pin) garage fixtures are slowly dying...(4 total double 
tube)</font></div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">the old t-12s are hard to find and
          expensive (16-20 bucks a tube)</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">Want to change to led... lots of
          options  - 8' led tubes are expensive too ... </font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">I was gifted a box of 20 4' bi-pin
          bulbs that work with a ballast...(heat sink)</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">option 1 </font></div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">if I use these I'd have to change all
          the tombstones to bi-pin and figure out the</font></div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">shunted vs non shunted type...  AND
          find the 8' to 4' fixture conversion kits (adding the middle
          tombstones</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">option 2</font></div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">8' type a led single pin tubes (about
          the same price as 8' fluorescent) and use a ballast</font></div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">not great reviews when shipped...</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">option 3</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">replace all the crap with the internet
          specials  linkable stick lights and hope they work</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">comments on options ????</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">questions... when using the ballast
          type plug and plays... aren't I using more electricity using
          the ballast </font></div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">and heating it up... is there any
          savings here ???</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div> </div>
      <div><font face="Segoe UI">please educate the old dummy on best
          (least expensive) options</font></div>
      <div> </div>
      <div> </div>
      <div> </div>
      <br>
      <fieldset class="moz-mime-attachment-header"></fieldset>
      <pre wrap="" 
class="moz-quote-pre">_______________________________________________

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