replacing 4 foot fluorescent tubes with some sort of LED

[Hatfield]

We have 4′ fluorescent tubes in recessed lighting in our kitchen and a bunch of fixtures in the garage. I would like to replace these with some sort of LED lighting product, but it looks like you have to dick around and remove the ballast and change out the end caps and if I’m going to do that, I’d rather just replace the whole fixture.

Was wondering if other Piggs have replaced their 4′ fluorescent tubes, and if so, with what?

[spdrun]

I had two approx 24′ x 24′ 1970s-era fluorescent fixtures in my rental’s kitchen, and I replaced them with two approx 15′ x 15′ LED fixtures from Lowe’s.

They produce the same amount of light as the old fixtures at 4000k daylight, and they were about $35 a pop. They don’t use bulbs. The LEDs are in strips and are built into the fixture. All are pointed downward, so there’s less loss of light and a more uniform light.

Looks like there are also some 4′ (T8) LED tubes that work with existing ballasts and plugs.

http://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/iif/2013/12/philips-delivers-led-based-t8-tubes-that-work-with-existing-ballasts.html

[FlyerInHi]

Remodel and install LED can lights. You can fish the electrical fairly easily. More modern clean look

[spdrun]

That’s using Tsar Bomba to kill a gnat. LED surface-mount fixtures are essentially plug-and-play and take 5 min to hang.

[Hatfield]

Yeah… I’m not doing a full remodel for this.

I’m also reluctant to go with a solution that uses the ballast, because I think some of these ballasts are getting tired. And in any event, designing an LED bulb around a ballast is dumb, I’d rather take out the whole fixture and wire in something that can be dimmed.

So, who has a good selection of reasonably priced low-profile LED fixtures? Wasn’t that impressed with what I saw at Home Despot.

[Coronita]

Have not tried, but….

If it doesn’t workout, I guess you can always return it with prime….

[FlyerInHi]

In that case, just remove the ballast and use a retrofit bulb.
I see that done in commercial installs. I think it’s the link flu posted.

Installing the cans is an afternoon’s work. You might have to do some drywall. But I think it’s well worth it. I’m a lighting freak. I spent a lot of time getting the lighting just right in my apartment.

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