How to Convert 8ft Fluorescent Shop Lights to LED

Still Running Fluorescent Lights in Your Shop?

A lot of us get so used to "meh" lighting that we forget that it can be better. We put up with dim or dark areas, straining to see details while working. Many of us have resorted to supplementing inconvenient lighting with even more expensive-to-run incandescent, halogen, or metal halide lamps.

Then, the buzzing ballasts and flickering bulbs can be a regular irritation, especially when they fail, and you have to replace one after the other. Are you tired of having a pile of burned-out, 8ft fluorescent tubes taking up space? Previous customers we’ve helped faced this problem, because garbage collection services often won’t dispose of hazardous waste. We help solve this problem by offering fluorescent tube recycling kits for 2ft, u-bend, 4ft and 8ft lights.

Avoid the hassles of running fluorescent lights; converting to LED can make such a difference for any workspace. In addition to solving the problems above, replacing your 8ft fluorescent shop lights with LED tubes also significantly reduces operating costs over time. This is because LED lights cut energy usage by around 50-60%. These savings quickly pay off the initial fixture costs and, from that point on, the upgraded lights will put monthly energy savings into your pocket for years to come.

Two Options for Converting Fluorescent Shop Lights to LED

Once you’ve decided to update your shop lighting, you will need to decide: Do you want to retrofit your old fluorescent fixtures with LED lights or buy new LED fixtures?

If you don’t have any issues with your existing shop light fixtures (they look fine, they’re in good repair, they have years of life left in them), you can keep them right where they are. After only a minor wiring adjustment, you can use our 8ft LED ballast bypass bulbs with T8 and T12 fixtures. These 8ft T8 LED bulbs come with either traditional or HO endings for T12 high output LED lighting.

Alternatively, if 1) you want to update the look, location, or number of fixtures, 2) your fixtures are no longer functioning properly, or 3) you are beginning a brand-new lighting project, we have many options available for new LED shop light fixtures.

Option 1: Retrofitting Your 8ft Fluorescent Shop Lights with LED

So, you want to keep your existing shop lights and just switch them over to 8ft LED bulbs. No problem: This is a simple wiring job that takes about five minutes per fixture. All you need to do is remove the ballast from your fixture (say goodbye to failing ballasts for good!) and wire the main power directly to the lamp’s sockets.

We have a quick video tutorial below. If you’re more of a reader, we’ve also made a one-page instruction sheet for retrofitting 8ft fluorescent fixtures to LED.

Ready to convert your shop lights to LED?

In-stock 8ft LED tube lights usually ship within one business day from the warehouse nearest you. 

Option 2: Installing New 8ft LED Shop Light Fixtures

If instead you choose door number 2, then you will be purchasing brand new LED fixtures.

The slimmest, most cost-effective alternative to fluorescent shop lights are integrated 8ft LED shop light fixtures. They are about the same diameter as a fluorescent tube, yet those slim dimensions contain both the light source and the fixture. Additionally, the sealed housing keeps debris out of the fixture, which means fewer maintenance tasks to deal with around the shop.

These integrated shop light fixtures can be installed either flush against your ceiling or wall or suspended from wires. Connect 2 or 3 of them end-to-end to reduce the amount of electrical work required; wire the first fixture to your power source, then simply plug them in.

If you’re not tied to 8ft fixture lengths, we offer a whole collection of LED shop lights, from basic 2ft and 4ft LED linear fixtures to vapor proof LED lights for dusty and wet shops to high-style modern lights for engineering and high-tech shops that want to leave an impression on visiting customers.

However, if you want something that looks like your old fixtures and, like your old fixtures, uses tubes that you can change out, you can still take advantage of LED energy savings and longevity with our LED-ready T8 fixtures. These ballast-free fixtures don’t need any retrofitting to work with LED tubes; you simply pop the tubes in like you would with your old fixtures. 

We’re Here to Help

If you have specific shop lighting problems you’re looking to solve or have questions about upgrading the lighting in your specific situation, ELEDLights is here to help with every step of the process. Reach out to us at (215) 355-7200 or email lights@eledlights.com.