Source for economical 4' LED tubes

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LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
As the title says, where is the best place to save money on replacement LED tubes? I'm looking for a dozen of the bypass type, where you remove the ballast and wire 120v directly to the tombstones.
 

PaulMmn

Senior Member
Location
Union, KY, USA
Occupation
EIT - Engineer in Training, Lafayette College
Check Amazon. However, I don't think they come with UL or CSA approval-- just that 'self-certification' label.

That said, they're BRIGHT! They may not put out any more light than a standard fluorescent tube, but all the light is on one side of the tube!
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
If, by 'economical', do you mean cheap? Or quality that will outlast any warranty you have for the installation?
Cheap, but not necessarily the cheapest.

I am bartering for the labor, but the customer is paying for materials.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
FWIW,
I know that HD carries dimmable LED bypass from 3000k-6500k around $20.00 a pair with replacement sockets.
The brand name is "Toggled"

The problem with the BigBox Stores is they buy whatever's cheapest that day. You buy a bunch of these Brand-of-the-Week products, and in 6 weeks two of the 12 are burned out. You return to the store to exchange them and they're selling another brand that, while the same price, isn't the same lumens and/or color temperature.
 

Knuckle Dragger

Master Electrician Electrical Contractor 01752
Location
Marlborough, Massachusetts USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
The problem with the BigBox Stores is they buy whatever's cheapest that day. You buy a bunch of these Brand-of-the-Week products, and in 6 weeks two of the 12 are burned out. You return to the store to exchange them and they're selling another brand that, while the same price, isn't the same lumens and/or color temperature.

The Toggled brand seem to be a descent quality lamp (time will tell).I purchased them from Toggled.com directly.
I noticed them at HD after the fact.
There is a lot of truth in what you are saying
Unfortunately cheap crap and swapping brands isn't limited to the box stores any more. The supply houses sell their fair share as well. None of the counter guys could find a dimmable bypass led, including City Electric Supply in my area but that's a whole nother thread.
 
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brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
I use the Satco T8 LED tubes; for the equivalent of the fluorescent output, I pay just under $6 per lamp. They do have high output versions for a little more $$.


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sw_ross

Senior Member
Location
NoDak
Today I installed Satco T5 LED tubes in highbay fixtures, converting them from fluorescent.
I got them from my supply house for $14. They were High Output T5's.
They worked great.
 

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
Today I installed Satco T5 LED tubes in highbay fixtures, converting them from fluorescent.
I got them from my supply house for $14. They were High Output T5's.
They worked great.

I ordered a couple hundred of the T5’s a few weeks ago that still aren’t here because of the coronavirus according to Satco, and no idea when I will be able to receive them. Last I heard they were stuck in a port containment check.


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brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
We converted a single T5 fixture in this automotive shop last week to the Satco 3300/Lm T5’s as a demo to sell this job. The customer told my installer he couldn’t tell that much of a difference.

I stopped by this morning to have a look. I measured 33/fc on his existing T5’s; and that was on one of the few that has all the lamps working. The new Satco T5’s I measured at 47/fc.

It is immediately apparent this fixture is brighter when you walk in the door.

2d4b7df6387d8dcb4afdcb1c1976b754.jpg



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