Am I stupid to want covers for my T5 fixtures?

I sold myself on getting T5 HO lights for my garage... However, looking in the box stores (didn't hit a dedicated lighting supply yet) it seems all the T5 HO fixtures don't have a 'wrap' or cover.

I thought it would be better to have them covered, as it should allow them to warm up a little quicker if the shop is cold, and it will save them from damage from accidents or sparks, and it will keep grinder dust off them...

Is there a reason the common T5 HO fixtures are like this? Do they get too hot otherwise? Are my concerns trivial, and should I just go buy the fixtures and get on with it?

They get quite hot, and covers collect bugs. Indeed, there are T5HO fixtures with covers, just not something you find everyday. Spend some time in the Lithonia site.

I recall one GJ member fitting covers on his T5HO strips that were intended (the covers that is) for shorter, lower wattage fixtures and it worked, but might get kinda pricey. The covers are short, it will take several of them to cover an "8ft" strip.

Charles

You can add the safety sleeves over the tubes for additional protection. The sleeves don't diffuse as much light as a diffuser cover would, so you don't lose as much light, and they still protect the lamps for most situations.

Look up CovR Guard lamps. We have to use them in the factory I work at. If any hits them, they implode inside the sleeve. The only thing I don't like about them is after a couple years they yellow slightly.

I am wanting to do the same thing.

Lowes had 4 foot t5 fixtures on clearance for 65 cents each.
I cleared the shelves- 8 of them= total $5.20.

I had to go to Home Depot for the bulbs. They are expensive- $12.00 each bulb but rated for 35,000 hours. The T5 are actually more efficient when the bulbs are at 100F than they are colder

Gary S said:

You can add the safety sleeves over the tubes for additional protection. The sleeves don't diffuse as much light as a diffuser cover would, so you don't lose as much light, and they still protect the lamps for most situations.

Click to expand...

oldestof11 said:

Look up CovR Guard lamps. We have to use them in the factory I work at. If any hits them, they implode inside the sleeve. The only thing I don't like about them is after a couple years they yellow slightly.

Click to expand...

None of those sleeves (clear plastic tubes the bulbs slide into) are approved for HO lamps, due to the heat they put out. I looked at several different sources and brands for my T5HO lamps over the workbench and all said they were not for use with HO lamps.

Charles

Found on the Grainger site for some that they sell.

Arm-A-Lite™ Safety Sleeves
Sleeves slip easily over fluorescent tubes to retain shattering glass and phosphors if tubes break, fall, or burst. A safety cap on each end of the sleeve assures a snug fit. Use colored sleeves to mark exits, fire extinguishers, safety zones, etc. When used outdoors, or in low-temperature indoor applications, sleeves maintain a "warm air zone" around the lamp for more effective, more efficient lighting. T5 sleeves are not designed for use with high-output lamps.

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From the Emerson Industrial, Appleton Elect Division catalog page for lamp sleeves.

T-5 Clear Protect-O-Sleeves ➋
Lamp Type
Nominal Lamp Length
Inches/Millimeters
Catalog Number for Sleeve with 2 Caps
for T-5 Diameter Lamps
Box
Quantity
F-14 22/558.8 2522 48
F-21 34/863.6 2534 24
F-28 46/1168.4 2546 24
➋ NOT for use with HO or VHO lamps

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The T8 and T12 lamp protectors from Appleton require heat sink screens for HO applications to dissipate the heat.

Garage Coffee Roaster said:

I am wanting to do the same thing.

Lowes had 4 foot t5 fixtures on clearance for 65 cents each.
I cleared the shelves- 8 of them= total $5.20.

I had to go to Home Depot for the bulbs. They are expensive- $12.00 each bulb but rated for 35,000 hours. The T5 are actually more efficient when the bulbs are at 100F than they are colder

Click to expand...

T5 or T5HO? Big, Big, difference. 4 ft T5 is 28 watts, 4 ft T5HO is 54 watts, nearly double. You CANNOT use a T5HO lamp in a standard T5 fixture.

Charles

Did some searching and found the thread about putting diffusers on the T5HO 4 bulb 8 ft strips that HD sells.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170636

Scroll down to post #18.

Biggest issue is that they are only available in 2 ft lengths, so it will take 4 of them to do one fixture. It would seem that Lithonia ought to make them in at least 4 ft lengths, but they don't that I was able to find.

Charles

Charles (in GA) said:

T5 or T5HO? Big, Big, difference. 4 ft T5 is 28 watts, 4 ft T5HO is 54 watts, nearly double. You CANNOT use a T5HO lamp in a standard T5 fixture.

Charles

Click to expand...

I have T5 using 28w bulbs. They are plenty bright enough for 8 foot ceilings.

Thanks for the heads up on the diffusers.

Jim

Charles (in GA) said:

Did some searching and found the thread about putting diffusers on the T5HO 4 bulb 8 ft strips that HD sells.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170636

Scroll down to post #18.

Biggest issue is that they are only available in 2 ft lengths, so it will take 4 of them to do one fixture. It would seem that Lithonia ought to make them in at least 4 ft lengths, but they don't that I was able to find.

Charles

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info!

It seems Homodepot Canada doesn't feel like carrying those diffusers, but I suspect I can track them down

It didn't occur to me that the lights might be alarmingly bright to look at also.

My local Habitat for Humanity ReStore apparently has received a large inventory of light bulbs of all kinds. Most likely a supplier going out of business.

Anyhow, one of the things they had were plastic diffusers apparently for T5 fixtures. Like the Lithonia diffusers, they are not the full length of a bulb, they measured 22¾ inch long. I bought one to try, and while not made for the Lithonia fixtures I have, it worked well enough for me to get 7 more. In the past, I said you did not need diffusers and they "ate" light, which is true. I cleaned the bulbs, removed them and wiped them down with windex. Got lots of dirt and bug parts off of them. The bugs fly right into the bulbs and "stick" the the hot lamps. These diffusers do not seem to consume much of the light, it is still quite bright, but I'm hoping they help keep the bulbs somewhat cleaner (they will need to be emptied of bugs sometimes I'm sure) and they afford some protection as these lamps are right above my workbenches where they can get smacked by something if I'm not careful. Also, the bulbs seem to come up to full bright faster, as they are enclosed and cannot radiate heat as easily.

Forgot to mention, they were $1 each but discounted 10% from that.

Charles

T5HO... in a low ceiling has been funny on here before. They are too much for some garages as they are high bay fixtures.

I asked the guy at the lighting store about T5HOs vs T8s... etc. You may find they are blinding, they make work for you. I also have 2 of those hanging 4 T8 fixtures and OMG THE LIGHT!!!