Lights of America 4' Solid State Shop Light, White

IDK maybe I just got lucky seeing the awful reviews here. I've had 2 of these lights set up for about 2 months now and haven't had a single problem so far. Hoping they prove to be reliable as time goes on. I use them as grow lights and they are on for 12 hours daily on a timer. Maybe that has something to do with not blowing the ballast as they are not getting unplugged and plugged back in constantly. I do wish they would have had an on off switch but with them being on a timer it hasn't really mattered.

Over the past year I've been buying these lights to replace the old fluorescent lighting fixtures in my basement. I had a decent sized stack of new units waiting in a corner. As the old fixtures died I replaced them with the new ones from Lights of America. One night my helper asked why I was replacing a new fixture, turns out one of the new LOA fixtures died less than three months after installation, that pattern continued, I've been getting anywhere from six months to a year of life from them before they stop working, one actually had a bit of arcing and smoking coming from one of the end pieces. I returned what I could to Wal-Mart, for the others, LOA offered to honor the 2 year replacement warranty, all I had to do was mail the item back to them, with proof of purchase, guess how much it cost to mail these things cross country? In summation, nice design, nice light spread from the bulb placement in the fixtures, worthless performance and zero value for your money, sorry Wal-Mart, not worth your shelf space, my money or my time.

I very rarely ever write reviews but this product is so bad, I felt I needed to in order to potentially save others from making the same mistake. I bought 12 of these fixtures over the past 3 months for some lighting projects INSIDE my home. I thought it important to note that these are being used in my office, in a climate controlled environment and have no outside sources working against them. Temperature has been maintained between 68F and 74F. The lights are being used as grow lights for my seedlings, which were all bottom watered (no moisture issues) and the lights were set on a time, 12 hours on and 12 hours off. There is positively no reason these fixtures should die in less than 3 months (some are barely 2 months old). Out of the 12 I bought, only 3 remain working and one is starting to flicker today so I assume the ballast will be blown on it by the end of day. These are an absolutely horrible purchase if you actually plan on using them.

I have never seen a fluorescent light fixture put together as these were. If you had to replace the ballast, you might as well throw the unit away. The ballast was an integral part of the light and not a separate removal and replacement item in the light. The plastic ends that contained the T8 sockets were not made to be taken apart and removed, and this would be the only way to access the ballast which was a small computer board. Approximately 50% of the 10 lights I ordered had damage on the hood because of the packaging. The were bent and paint chipped off. I understand the light were quite inexpensive compared to the all metal fluorescent light fixtures. If I was not installing them in a barn, I would have returned them. My intent was to use the fixture only, and not to run as fluorescent lighting, but to rewire them for LED bulbs. If you wanted them strictly as fluorescent lighting and added the fluorescent bulbs, they would most likely work okay, with the exception of the damage to the hood due to poor packaging for shipment.

I saw a review by an electrician supposing human error. I guess that perspective depends on whether you are an engineer or an electrician. Im kidding. I'm neither but as an ordinary person it was obvious that the design for this light is not so smart. I'm guessing that while pushing in the hook and chain many consumers, that complained of smoking ballasts, have probably punctured the wiring as this is part of the light that is poorly designed. The hook and chain is inserted right above the ballast making it a pain and potential fire hazard. My light is used in the guinea coop. I have had it for a month without any problems. I will update if any type of failure occurs.

ballast lasted about one year.

I have six of these in my workshop. Four are dead. Two have been going for more than a year, the others died anywhere from two months to less than a year after installation. Spend money on better quality lighting. Do not but these.

I have been using these flourescent fixtures for many years without issues both in doors in house and outdoors in shops and greenhouses. They work just fine both in summer and winter given the greenhouses are cold frames that do not get heated. Given this is the cheapest place I have seen to buy flourescent fixtures and have not had issues can't see how anyone can complain. It is more likely the installer that creates the issues than the product itself. Granted you get the occational bad seed. Out of literally thousands of these fixtures I have bought in years of construction and other business ventures I may have seen a handful of bad ones. But when other fixtures cost so reduculously more and literally do not provide any significant difference in quality, you are better off replacing the occational bad seed than to pay 3, 4, 5, plus times the cost of these for every fixture. It is the bulb that provides the light and quality of light not the fixture. Fixture only provides a functional medium for the bulb to light and an astheitic value in appearance. If you dont need asthetic. this is the product for your needs.

Bought 4 new. Loosing 1 every 3 weeks. Going back to Home Depot.

very pleased with product good price fast shipping