In reply to Vajingo :
It would be better to replace the current lampholder with one that has a built-in three prong socket.
In reply to Vajingo :
It would be better to replace the current lampholder with one that has a built-in three prong socket.
In reply to thewheelman :
Yeah I agree, but if I'm going that far with it I may as well just put in a single gang outlet.
I just picked up a pair similar to this at Costco, a great addition to the two sockets I had in the garage. SUPER bright and a quick way to upgrade from a 100W industrial bulb. Much cooler too.
Here's my setup:
Two 8ft 72W Barrina tubes on each of the 3 walls. Each switch controls 3 tubes, so I can choose to light up either one side only or both sides. I can work inside the car, under the hood, even under the car without a worklight. It's honestly the best upgrade I did to my little shop.
I impulse bought a pair of four foot LED lights from Sam's Club. Just adding those to the garage made an amazing difference when I put them up last night.
The Barrina 12 pack is ordered.
David S. Wallens said:
For a while there, LED shop lights were a sign that someone had some cash to burn. But have you priced them lately? They have gotten inexpensive: Several outlets, including Harbor Freight, offer them starting around $25.
But a tip from the art department: You can pick up a six-pack of 4-foot-long …
So for those of you that have mounted these to a lift, how do you like them?
It seems like half the time you're going to be blinded looking into them.
I'm getting ready to get a lift and want to do something along these lines if it is actually beneficial.
In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :
I did that after seeing JG's pictures and it's been fantastic. The light is diffuse enough that you don't get blinded looking at them, everything is just brighter. You really don't realize how much of a difference is makes until you pull a car in and the car just glows. Highly recommended.
The back half of my shop is not highly lit, everything's focused on the front with some big LED panel lighting. But here's the lift light.
By the way, I'm going to add more lights to our garage. 
At least with the HF versions, they all have pull cords on them, so they are easy to shut on and off individually if you want.
Also, don't forget (I think I mentioned it in this thread already), using a single "bulb" one as a super long portable shop light can be VERY handy. They are very light and very sturdy. I have stepped on mine, no issue. I should experiment with gluing some magnets on mine....
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Thanks for the reply.
So it looks like you have the lights on the "front and back" of the lift posts, not pointed directly at the car, am I seeing that right?
I guess they give a wide enough span of light that it still works well.
I went ahead and ordered a 6 pack of the normal Barrina lights and a 10 pack of the higher lumen output lights. Planning to test what I like where before I order more.
Bah! Humbug!
In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :
My lift has rotated posts, I forget what the style is called - offset? I have the lights as close as I can to the car, enough that you can see them as you approach the lift. I can get more pics if that would be helpful.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Ahh, I see. I believe those are asymmetric posts then. I would like a lift with those, but looks like I'm likely getting a lift with squared off posts.
If you get the chance to get some pics, I certainly wouldn't be disappointed to see them, but no need to go out of your way to get some. I appreciate all the feedback and tips.
Dragging this thread up from the past to inquire about longevity. How are these, particularly the Barrina, holding up with regular use? A fair number of reviews indicate a lifespan of 1 - 1.5 years, and that's roughly consistent with Chinese-made LED's made for home lighting.
I need to be out in the garage this winter, and while I'll be throwing heat into an uninsulated space, that space is too dark with my current lighting and the overhead doors closed, and heating with the doors open would obviously be futile. Looking to supplement, not replace, my 8-ft. fluorescents.
Let's leave the politics of green lighting out of it. Do these cheapo Amazon lights hold up?
I have the Costco Feit lights in my barn, and I'm not sure how many years it's been, but at least 5. They still work perfectly.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
9000 lb, extra wide, asymmetric lift. I have the same one and will steal your lighting idea.
Best feature of this lift is the doors end up behind the posts in stead of right next to them.
Looks like two 4' lights connected, this will work for my 8' fluorescents that are dead.
akylekoz said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
Best feature of this lift is the doors end up behind the posts in stead of right next to them.
That's the only thing I'd change about my lift, but with availability and shipping, getting the one I get was definitely the easiest and likely cheapest route.
Do not buy the single tube cheap ones from Lowe's. I just threw one out this week after less than a year and another one is flickering. They were really cheap, so I probably deserve what I got.
I put cheap T8 LED tubes in flourescent fixtures (rewired to bypass the ballast) and have purchased individual "Commerical Electric" brand LED hanging assemblies from H-Depot that were something like $20 each that plug in, have a pull chain, and are linkable. The T8's are still going strong after four years and multiple moves across the country. The complete cheapie assemblies are a little younger at three years but otherwise great. Would buy more of each if/when I need more light in the garage.
Planning on setting up a mix of LED tubes and bulbs in the garage soon. Really looking forward to having a competent light scheme out there.
Are there LED bulbs that just plug n play into the older flourescent fixtures? I've got a bunch of fixtures in my garage and it'd be nice to convert them over to LED
docwyte said:Are there LED bulbs that just plug n play into the older flourescent fixtures? I've got a bunch of fixtures in my garage and it'd be nice to convert them over to LED
You know, my old fixtures were so old, that I didn't even consider that. Plus, the new ones are light–like just a few ounces each. I figured I'd just start with all new stuff.
docwyte said:Are there LED bulbs that just plug n play into the older flourescent fixtures? I've got a bunch of fixtures in my garage and it'd be nice to convert them over to LED
Yes. You just have to bypass the ballast. I have a couple of 4' ones in my highest fixtures. I also used 2' "led replacement tubes" in some recessed lights in the kitchen that were framed into an exact 2' box. In those cases, it was easier than trying to replace the whole fixture.
The ceiling lights in this pic are using the LED replacement tubes.
To answer the lifespan question from a while back - I haven't had a Barrinna fail yet. They're in the kitchen, the garage, the shop and my wife's sewing room. I started putting them up about 4 years ago.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
The new LED fixtures were so light (ha!) and inexpensive that I didn't even consider converting the old ones. Was it worth it?
David S. Wallens said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
The new LED fixtures were so light (ha!) and inexpensive that I didn't even consider converting the old ones. Was it worth it?
I think so. In the garage, it was a lot easier to pop new "tubes" in there than to rewire outlets for Barrinas - especially given the height off the floor. In the recessed case, the Barrinas simply wouldn't have fit because a 2' Barrina needs enough room for the plug sticking out the end, while a 2' fluorescent fixture only needs 2' and that's exactly how the recessed boxes were built. I wouldn't do it if I were starting from scratch, but it's an easy retrofit option.
Okay, that makes sense. My old lamps were plugged in via standard outlets in the ceiling. So I just removed and replaced all of the fixtures, flush mounting the new ones to the ceiling.
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