Wanting To Go LED?!

[Rafter H BBQ]

Hey all.. Our house was built between 78-80… Old Ranch style brick house.

Back when houses were BUILT and this one is for sure in that category!

But, with older homes comes the need to upgrade… We are at that point now.

The fluorescent lights are a PITA! I’ve always had a dislike for them. And the inserts are now brittle.

I’d like to switch to LED, took the panel off. So, I am assuming there are a lot of wires for the fluorescent bulbs and old ballasts?! And LED should be more simple?!

This is where I am stumped?!

I would like to put a below ceiling light in as the wife requested. Which I think will be ok to do as the current light is 4’x2’

Hoping to get one that just covers the current light and trim… had some contractors that just half assed stuff.

Wiring… The in coming…

The mess of ballasts and wires!

Hoping LED are more simple. Any of you with any experience in the change from fluorescent to LED?

Any suggestions or recommendations are very welcome.

 

[sandyut]

LEDs are super simple. The ones I have seen are just the two wires and ground.

Coving the hole there might be an issue, but replacing the bulb "fixtures" in the existing space should be simple.

 

[zwiller]

You are in luck. I replaced pretty much all my office tubes to LED like 20. Super easy if you are handy. HEY... Those look like LED already!!! Whats that yellow label say in first pic?

 

[JckDanls 07]

Yes... Eazzzzy Peezzzzy... The Black, White, and Ground is all you need.... All the ballast wires go with the fixture... Finding an LED fixture to cover the whole spot (if ceiling is not finished under the current fixture)... And then picking the "shade" of lighting...

If you like and want to keep the old fixture, you can gut it and put LED strips in it... Put the lens back in..

 

[chopsaw]

Like said above , power coming out of the ceiling is all you need for a new fixture .

Patch the hole with drywall . Run some mesh tape on the joint . Get a bucket of joint compound . A 6 and a 2 inch knife , and start applying the compound on to match what's there .
Wet sponge to knock it down if needed . They also make roller covers to do it with . Just depends on how close the match is .

 

[JckDanls 07]

You can also get spray on/knock down texture if needed...

 

[Steve H]

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/HALCO-LIGHTING-TECHNOLOGIES-Dual-4-ft-44-72-in-64-Watt-Equivalent-Integrated-LED-White-Strip-Magnetic-Linear-LED-Troffer-Retrofit-Kit-4000K-MLTRK-24-40-U-40/319505664?mtc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-BNG-D27E-027_015_COMMERCIAL_LINR_LIGHTS-NA-NA-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-2025_PMAX&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-BNG-D27E-027_015_COMMERCIAL_LINR_LIGHTS-NA-NA-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-2025_PMAX-23099172947--&gclid=55e416f75a9312cfe2cc7cec579193c7&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=55e416f75a9312cfe2cc7cec579193c7

 

[babydocsmoke]

We did this in our home. Seriously a piece of cake. That hole in the celling is what is gonna be the problem, cause its WAY bigger than you're gonna need.

FYI, pick up some LEDs that have adjustable brightness / warmth to match the room perfectly. You'll be impressed!

 

[Steve H]

50W LED Magnetic Strip Retrofit Kit - 2x4 Troffer - Up To 6500 Lumens - Dimmable

This dimmable 50W LED magnetic strip retrofit kit replaces the ballast and tubes in 2' x 4' fluorescent troffers. Bright and powerful, the strips emit up to 6500 lumens in warm, cool, or natural white, equivalent to the output of three 32-watt fluorescent T8 tubes. Evenly-spaced magnets allow...

www.superbrightleds.com

 

[mneeley490]

Last time I went into Lowes to get some replacement fluorescent tubes for my daughter's kitchen, I was hard pressed to find any. All they had were LED replacement tubes. Finally, a worker found me a couple. He said he had to replace all the ones in his garage, and he had a hard time finding them too.
But yes, you can buy whole fixtures to retrofit the old ones if you want to.

 

[zwiller]

You can get old school flo tubes from an electrical supply house. I probably have 20-30 if you want them. On converting that fixture to LED (and good chance it already was done) it's called ballast bypass. Snip the tranny wires and wire power to one side of fixture and neutral to the other. Ballast bypass bulbs convert 120VAC to the leds so no tranny hence the name ballast bypass. In the day they was sorta expensive but NOT anymore! They won the battle, like blu ray and VHS.

If want a new look, the current trend is open "modern farmhouse" main fixtures with supplemental recessed. Read that as TON of wiring to do/messy/and $ but it IS pretty when it's done. Wife would not allow to run the recessed but we did do new fixtures. I replaced a 4' flo fixture like yours with an "island chandelier". Yeah had to add wood, patch, paint but not too bad. Notice the recessed cans...

 

[dsk]

On converting that fixture to LED (and good chance it already was done) it's called ballast bypass.

It isn't bypassed, the pictures show the ballasts still in circuit. Those tubes look like ballast compatible Type A LED tubes. I've direct wired most of my fixtures for line voltage Type B tubes. Still have a few to go.

 

[normanaj]

Can't really add anything to the above other than the ease of it.
My laundry room/shop area had flouros and there was not much to it.

 

[philpom]

Home Depot and buy tube type LED bulbs that will be a direct drop in to those fixtures. They have a switch on the side to select the temperature of the light. You could get a new lens cut to freshen up the look. I've done this in all 3 bathrooms and my garage.

 

[Fueling Around]

That troffer style fixture (recessed into the ceiling) is a pain to work around.
@Steve H and @JckDanls 07 had the easier suggestions to reuse the existing fixture to remove the ballasts and annoying wires to the lamps and replace with a LED retrofit.
I'm guessing the diffuse panel is missing? Wife has stated she wants a true surface mount fixture?
I agree with her as the troffer definitely leave a lighting grey area due to the recessed lamps in a single fixture.
Not quite as easy as @chopsaw detailed to patch the ceiling for a surface mount. Probably need furring strips to attach the drywall plug. You also need to get the wires moved about 3" lower. Electricians are not generally generous in leaving slack in wiring to relocate fixtures.

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I would completely remove the old fixture.

1) fix the drywall and install multiple recessed lighting cans with LED lights.
2) more simple a recessed LED fixture to replace a 2x4 fixture.

Either way afterward replace the light switch with a dimmer switch or smart switch.

Wife will be happy and so will you.

EDIT: 2) something like this

 

[BugHunter]

I've done a zillion of these. Switched from T12 to T8 15 years ago at work, saved a fortune on electric. LEDs were too expensive at the time. Built a new building in 21 (overtop of the old), and switched to LED. Same fixtures as before. In some cases you can use the existing fixture and tombstones, but for my taste, I bought non-shunted tombstones on Ebay and swapped them (one per bulb) and just disconnected the other end from the wiring.

For bulbs, no question, go to 1000bulbs.com Look up the 4' T8 "B" style. "B" means no ballast, direct wire to 100V-277V. (works for direct connect to 3 phase 480 even). Must buy 25/case, but well worth it. I use 5000K only. You'll disconnect and remove the old ballast and just wire direct to the tombstones. If you pick out a bulb, I'll explain what the connection options are for it. Some can be connected multiple ways, but not all. Some require a change of tombstone, but all of them will require being rewired somewhat. The T8 bulb style will fit in the T12 tombstone, but the older tombstones were electrically "shunted", meaning both pins were electrically joined. I found it easier to just replace them (they're cheap), and if you buy Leviton, they'll fit about any fixture ever built.