Couple questions regarding fluorescent shop lights

[Wanna Ride]

I've had 13, dual-lamp T12 4' fixtures in the main room of my garage for several years. It is 30' x 30', and has a 9' ceiling (lamps hang at the 8' height). I've noticed recently that it seems kinda' dim in here. I primed and painted the walls and ceiling, about three or four years ago, to help brighten it up. That sure made a difference! The bulbs I've been using since then, are Sylvania 40w cool whites. They haven't been changed since then. On Friday, I talked to a pimple-popper at Menard's, and he told me that the Sylvania 40w daylight lamps would be much brighter.

So at about twice the cost of the cool white lamps, I bought a box of ten, to try them out. I just put them in this evening, and to be honest... I'm not really impressed.

Or maybe I'm just expecting too much. Or maybe I just need to add more fixtures, who knows.

Any lighting experts on here, that can add some input? Do I have enough light for this space, do I need different lamps?

 

[HTGTS350]

Ive recently changed over to daylights and the difference was huge, I thought they stopped making 40W years ago, mine are 36w.

 

[HTGTS350]

If you put a daylight tube and a cool white tube in the same fitting you will be able to see the difference. Maybe buy a cheap lux meter and take some readings, light can be very subjective.

 

[tfi racing]

They are no brighter,just a different,bluer colour.If you want to make a real difference,ditch the soon to be obsolete antique T12 lamps and upgrade to 1980's technology T8 lamps and ballasts.

 

[pattenp]

A 40W daylight has very little more lumens than a 40W cool. The big difference is color. Now if the new daylight tubes you got are the energy saving type then you went to 34W and they will be less lumens.

 

[pattenp]

They are no brighter,just a different,bluer colour.If you want to make a real difference,ditch the soon to be obsolete antique T12 lamps and upgrade to 1980's technology T8 lamps and ballasts.

Not here in my life time. New T12 lamps and ballast are already being made that meet the US energy regs.

 

[carcruse]

If you got the ones that are only 2180 lumens, they won't seem any brighter as depending on which "cool" tubes you had, there is probably only about a 40 lumens increase.

 

[Wanna Ride]

When I originally posted this, I had only been in the garage when it was daylight outside. Of course the overhead doors were down, but light still came in the windows. Now that I've walked in there after dark, a day or so later, without being in there just earlier the same day... it certainly appears brighter now.

You know how you can over-analyze something for too long, in one day?

 

[Cobra6]

Not here in my life time. New T12 lamps and ballast are already being made that meet the US energy regs.

What?
Manufacturing T12 Flourescent bulbs/ballasts were outlawed as of July 1, 2010 - this was a phase-out that started in 2005

 

[twinscrewcaddy]

T5's are even nicer.

 

[HotrodHR]

I heard Al Gore wants you to use one incandescent light bulb per shop/garage bay...

 

[Cobra6]

I heard Al Gore wants you to use one incandescent light bulb per shop/garage bay...

and I think it has to be an original Edison bulb like this -

 

[budl]

I just installed a bunch of drop in lights in my garage that I bought from a store remodel. The included tubes (3500K I think) produce a yellowish light. I bought a couple of 6000K "daylight" bulbs and placed them in an adjoining fixture for comparison. Daylight bulbs are brighter appearing but produce a blueish color. Tried a couple of 4100K bulbs in a third fixture and they produce a crisp white light that is most pleasing to me.

Bud

 

[BMWFatherFigure]

If you have it, spread the fittings over the 3 phases. This will minimise strobe effect.

 

[waprater]

A new question regarding fluorescent lights. I have four fixtures that use F40 tubes. Is there a replacement tube that will work in these lights.

 

[Norcal]

If you have it, spread the fittings over the 3 phases. This will minimise strobe effect.

3 phase in a residence is almost unheard of in the US with the exception of some areas such as Phoenix, Arizona & others where 240V 3Ø was used for early air conditioning........

 

[MyTechGuy LLC]

So at about twice the cost of the cool white lamps, I bought a box of ten, to try them out. I just put them in this evening, and to be honest... I'm not really impressed.

What are the lumens?

Also, are you sure you have those bulbs grounded? I just ripped out all the fluorescents in my garage and updated to LED's. Incredible amount of light and no harmful Mercury