ELEKICO LED Lights: Shop Fixtures, 8ft Bulbs & More

The most common shop light mistake is guessing at fixture count. Here's the actual math: multiply your floor area in square feet by 50 lumens per square foot for active shop work (woodworking, automotive, fabrication) or 30 lumens per square foot for general storage. Divide that total by the lumens per fixture. That gives you fixture count.

Ceiling Height Determines Which Fixture to Use

Before running the lumen math, ceiling height sets your format choice:

• 7–9 ft ceilings: 4ft or 8ft shop lights. UFO high bays overshoot at this range and create glare. The 4FT Shop Light 50W (6-Pack) at 7,500 lumens per fixture works for compact spaces; the 8FT Shop Light 100W at 15,000 lumens is the standard for full garage bays.
• 9–12 ft ceilings: 8ft shop lights remain the right call. At 12 feet, the V-shape 270° beam angle distributes light across the floor and walls more evenly than a flat fixture at the same wattage.
• 12–14 ft ceilings: 8ft shop lights still work, but you're at the top of their effective range. The 8FT Shop Light 120W at 20,000 lumens per fixture is the right pick here — more output compensates for the added ceiling distance. The 150W UFO high bay is also a valid option at this height.
• Above 14 ft: Shop lights are the wrong tool. See the UFO high bay guide for ceiling heights above 14 feet.

A Worked Example for a 20x20 Garage

Floor area: 400 sq ft. Target: 50 lumens per sq ft for active shop work. Total lumens needed: 20,000. The 8FT Shop Light 100W (B089Q27FHF) delivers 15,000 lumens per fixture. Dividing 20,000 by 15,000 gives 1.33 — round up to 2 fixtures for the lumen target, but 2 eight-foot lights won't physically cover a 20-foot-wide garage without leaving the side walls dim. The practical answer is a single row of 3 fixtures running the length of the space. Three fixtures at 15,000 lumens each = 45,000 lumens across 400 sq ft, or 112 lumens per sq ft. That's intentionally bright — work spaces benefit from overhead that pushes past the minimum.

For a 24x24 garage (576 sq ft), the same math lands at two rows of three 8ft fixtures, six total. That's within the capacity of the 8FT Shop Light 100W (10-Pack) with fixtures to spare.

The Linkage Math — Plan Your Outlet Connections First

ELEKICO shop lights link up to 3 units per chain using the included connector cables. Each chain needs one outlet connection. This is not a product limitation unique to ELEKICO — it's standard practice for plug-in shop light systems, and Barrina uses the same structure.

What this means in practice: a 60-foot run of shop lights needs 20 fixtures maximum (at 3-foot spacing, roughly), organized as 6 or 7 chains of 3, each starting at its own outlet. In a typical garage with two 20-amp circuits and multiple outlets, this isn't a problem. In an older single-circuit shop, plan your outlet layout before ordering. A 20x20 garage with two rows of three fixtures only needs 2 outlet connections — well within normal reach.

One detail worth flagging: the 2FT Shop Light 40W (B0CJYCDM6L) is the exception in this line. It links up to 6 units per chain — double the capacity of the 4ft and 8ft fixtures. That's useful for workbench runs and under-cabinet lighting where you want a longer continuous strip from a single outlet.

Lumens Per Square Foot Reference

These are working targets, not code requirements. The numbers assume white or light-colored walls and ceilings — darker surfaces absorb light and require more output per square foot to compensate. A shop with dark-stained wood walls needs fixtures on the higher end of each range.

For UFO high bay lights, ceiling height is the controlling variable — not room size. The same 250W fixture that's ideal at 18 feet will create uncomfortable glare at 10 feet and won't deliver adequate footcandles at 30 feet. Start with your ceiling height, then select wattage, then calculate fixture count.

Ceiling Height to Wattage Matrix

The 120° beam angle used across the UFO line is standard for high bay applications — it's narrow enough to concentrate light downward through altitude, but wide enough to prevent the harsh bullseye pattern that tighter-angle fixtures produce. At 20 feet, a 120° beam covers roughly a 23-foot diameter circle on the floor. At 30 feet, that expands to about 35 feet diameter. Use those numbers when planning fixture spacing.

Fixture Count — A Worked Warehouse Example

Scenario: a 40x60ft shop floor (2,400 sq ft) with 20-foot ceilings. Target illumination: 40 lumens per sq ft for general industrial work. Total lumens needed: 96,000.

Using the 300W UFO at 45,000 lumens per fixture: 96,000 ÷ 45,000 = 2.1 fixtures to meet the lumen total. But physical coverage matters as much as total lumens. At 20ft ceiling height, each 300W fixture covers roughly a 23-foot diameter circle. For a 40x60ft floor, a 2x3 grid (6 fixtures) gives 13-foot spacing — well within the coverage diameter of each unit, with meaningful overlap for even illumination. Six fixtures at 45,000 lumens each = 270,000 lumens across 2,400 sq ft, or 112 lumens per sq ft. That's bright by industrial standards, but high-bay buyers consistently prefer more rather than less.

If budget is a constraint, four fixtures at 15-foot spacing still covers the floor adequately at this ceiling height. The corners will be dimmer, but the work areas away from walls will be well-lit.

The MH/HPS Equivalency Breakdown

Many buyers are replacing metal halide or high-pressure sodium fixtures that have been running for a decade or more. The wattage comparison matters for two reasons: circuit capacity planning, and understanding the actual lumen output difference between old and new.

• 150W ELEKICO UFO replaces a 400W metal halide fixture. A 400W MH system draws closer to 460W with the ballast; the 150W LED draws exactly 150W. Energy reduction: approximately 67%.
• 250W ELEKICO UFO replaces a 750W MH fixture. At 37,500 lumens, it actually outperforms a 750W MH in initial lumen output — MH fixtures lose roughly 30% of their rated lumens within the first 2,000 hours of use, while LEDs hold output through most of their rated lifespan.
• 350W ELEKICO UFO is rated equivalent to a 1,200W MH/HPS fixture. At 52,500 lumens, that equivalency holds. A 1,200W MH system draws approximately 1,380W with ballast; the 350W LED draws 350W. On a 10-hour operational day, that's a difference of roughly 3.77 kWh per fixture per day — at $0.12/kWh, about $165 in annual savings per fixture at that usage rate.

One thing worth saying plainly: older MH fixtures often have cracked or yellowed lenses, reduced arc tube output, and ballasts operating below spec. If your current MH fixtures are more than 5 years old, their actual lumen output may be 40–50% below the original rating. The LED replacement will feel dramatically brighter not just because LEDs are more efficient, but because you're comparing to a degraded baseline.

Installation Notes Specific to UFO High Bays

Every ELEKICO UFO high bay ships with a 5ft power cord, hook, and safety rope. Hook attaches to a ceiling mount point; safety rope clips to the fixture as a backup if the hook fails. At ceiling heights above 15 feet, use a proper ladder or lift for installation — this is the part that occasionally generates complaints, and the complaints are usually about access, not the fixture itself.

The 5ft cord reaches a ceiling outlet or junction box in most warehouse configurations. If your outlets are wall-mounted rather than ceiling-mounted, a hardwired installation is required — that's a licensed electrician job. For most pole barn and garage applications with ceiling outlets already in place, the plug-and-play setup takes under 10 minutes per fixture.

ELEKICO's 8ft LED tube bulbs will not work in a fixture that still has its ballast connected. This is the single most important thing to understand before ordering — and the most common source of installation failure in this category. The fix is straightforward, takes 15–30 minutes for most fixtures, and requires no electrician for standard residential fluorescent housings.

What a Ballast Is and Why It Has to Go

A ballast is the electrical component inside a fluorescent fixture that controls the current flowing to the fluorescent tube. Fluorescent tubes need that current regulation to operate. LED tubes don't — they have their own built-in driver. Connecting an LED tube to a live ballast pushes incompatible voltage through the driver, which either prevents the light from turning on or, in some cases, trips a breaker. The ballast has to be removed or bypassed before the LED tube can function.

ELEKICO's 8ft tubes are Type B (direct-wire) LEDs. That means they wire directly to line voltage at the fixture's tombstone sockets — no ballast, no adapter. The ballast bypass is a one-time modification to the fixture housing, after which it will only work with Type B LED tubes (you can't go back to fluorescent without reinstalling a ballast).

How to Bypass the Ballast — Step by Step

Before starting, turn off the circuit breaker feeding the fixture. Verify power is off with a non-contact voltage tester before touching any wiring.

• Step 1: Remove the fluorescent tube and the fixture cover or diffuser.
• Step 2: Locate the ballast — it's typically a rectangular metal box wired to the tombstone sockets at both ends of the fixture.
• Step 3: Disconnect the ballast wiring. Most ballasts connect via wire nuts or quick-connect terminals. Remove and cap or tape off the ballast output wires (the wires running from the ballast to the tombstone sockets).
• Step 4: Identify the live and neutral wires running into the ballast from the main power supply. Connect the live wire directly to one tombstone socket and the neutral wire directly to the other tombstone socket. This is the "dual-end powered" configuration — line voltage feeds both ends of the tube.
• Step 5: Remove the starter from its slot if present (some T12 fixtures have a small cylindrical starter near one end). Cap the starter socket.
• Step 6: Restore power and test with the new LED tube installed.

The whole process requires a wire stripper, wire nuts or electrical tape, and a screwdriver. For most residential fluorescent fixtures — the kind you'd find in a garage, workshop, or utility room — this is a legitimate DIY task. If the fixture is in a commercial space subject to electrical inspection, or if the wiring is unusual in any way, consult a licensed electrician.

Base Compatibility — Which ELEKICO Tube Fits Which Fixture

FA8 and R17D are both 8ft-specific bases. FA8 is a single-pin base — the tube has one pin at each end that inserts into a single-contact socket. R17D is a recessed double-contact base — two pins at each end, slightly different socket style. Before ordering, pull the existing tube and look at the base type. They're not interchangeable, and ordering the wrong base is the second-most-common installation error after the ballast issue.

If you're not sure which base your fixture uses, the tube itself usually has the base type printed on it near the end cap. FA8 is more common in older shop and warehouse fluorescent fixtures; R17D appears in some commercial and industrial housings. If neither is printed on the tube, Google the tube model number — it will be on the label.

Is the Energy Saving Real?

The 72W FA8 tube (B08L56CF4T) replaces a 200W fluorescent tube, cutting energy draw by 64%. Running that fixture 10 hours per day: the fluorescent draws 730 kWh per year; the LED draws 263 kWh. At $0.12/kWh, that's approximately $56 saved annually per fixture. For a shop with 10 fixtures, that's $560 per year — and that's before accounting for the labor cost of replacing fluorescent tubes, which burn out and degrade in output in ways that LEDs generally don't over the first several years of use.

ELEKICO's 100W LED flood light (B0DDT4JLPY) is the only product in the line designed for outdoor exposure. Everything else — the shop lights, UFO high bays, and tube bulbs — is rated for indoor use only. Understanding when a hardwired plug-in flood light makes more sense than a solar alternative is worth a few minutes before purchasing.

When a Wired Flood Light Beats Solar

Solar-powered flood lights are popular, and for good reason — no wiring, no electrician, no ongoing electricity cost. But they have a real limitation: output depends on how much sun the panel collected that day. In overcast climates, during winter months, or in partially shaded locations, a solar flood light will underperform its rated output because the battery simply didn't charge to capacity. A wired plug-in flood light like the ELEKICO 100W delivers its full 10,000 lumens every time it's switched on, regardless of weather or season.

For security lighting, work lighting, and any application where consistent, predictable output matters, a wired fixture is the more reliable choice. The 59-inch cable with ground wire included in the ELEKICO flood light package plugs into a standard outdoor outlet — no hardwiring required if you have a GFCI outlet in the right location.

Understanding the IP65/IP66 Rating

The ELEKICO flood light carries both IP65 and IP66 references in its product data. Both ratings mean the fixture is fully dustproof (the "6" first digit). The second digit distinguishes water resistance levels: IP65 is protected against water jets from any direction; IP66 is protected against powerful water jets. Neither rating means submersible — don't confuse these with pool or underground ratings. For rain, snow, hose spray, and standard outdoor exposure, IP65/IP66 is appropriate.

The die-cast aluminum housing and finned heat sink design serve double duty here: they dissipate heat from the LED driver (extending the 50,000-hour rated lifespan) and provide the structural durability that IP-rated outdoor housings require. At 3.16 pounds for the 2-pack, each fixture is lighter than it looks.

Why 6500K for Outdoor Use

The flood light runs at 6500K — noticeably cooler and bluer than the 5000K used across ELEKICO's indoor line. This is the right call for outdoor security and work lighting, not an arbitrary spec choice. Cooler color temperatures (6000K–6500K) improve contrast and perceived brightness in dark outdoor environments, making it easier to distinguish details at distance. The same cool white that feels harsh in an enclosed workshop is actually better suited to open outdoor spaces at night.

For reference: 5000K is daylight-neutral and works well in closed spaces where walls and ceiling reflect and soften the light. 6500K reads as "bright white" in open outdoor conditions and is the standard for security floodlights, parking lot lighting, and outdoor work areas.

Installation Options — Three Mounting Positions

The included 180° adjustable metal bracket mounts the flood light in three practical configurations:

• Wall mount: Most common — bracket attaches to an exterior wall, fixture angles down toward the target area. Works for garage fronts, shed exteriors, and entry points.
• Ceiling/soffit mount: Bracket attaches to a covered overhang, fixture angles outward and down. Good for covered porches and carport ceilings where the fixture itself is protected from direct rain.
• Ground mount: Bracket attaches to a ground stake or surface, fixture angles upward. Used for accent lighting, flagpole illumination, and temporary work area setup. Less common but supported by the bracket design.

One practical note: the 59-inch cable gives you roughly 5 feet of reach to the nearest outlet. If your outdoor outlet is more than 5 feet from the mounting point, you'll need an outdoor-rated extension cord — use one rated for at least 15 amps to match the fixture's load.

Who This Flood Light Is Not For

If you need motion-sensor activation, look elsewhere — the ELEKICO flood light doesn't include a motion sensor or photocell. It's a manually switched (or always-on) fixture, best paired with an outdoor outlet timer or a smart plug if you want automated operation. And if your location gets fewer than 4–5 hours of direct sun per day and you were considering solar, this wired fixture solves that problem directly — but if you have no outdoor outlet near the mounting point, you're either running an extension cord or doing an electrical installation, which changes the calculus considerably.