Day Brite Lighting, advice needed

[kutza]

I have found some Day Brite 400w Sodium, multi-tap lights for sale from an industrial building.
My question is, they are High Bay lights, I guess used in 17ft+ ceiling applications.
I plan to buy them for my garage, with 12ft side, and peak at 17ft. What should my concerns be if any. I know the high bay lights do not have a glass shielding, incase the bulb blows, and pieces drop. How often is this likely to happen.
Is this a major issue, or should I get them or walk away?

thanks
Kutza

 

[bmwpower]

If they're sodium - forget it. They may be called "Day Brite", but they'll produce an orange colored light that is useless for anything but a warehouse.

 

[Fast Orange]

Walk Away-
1) Unless you like anything that's bright red in daylight to be dull primer brown in the shop when the lights are on,high pressure sodium is not for you.The ugly yellow/orange parking lot and street lights are HPS.
2) For halfway decent color rendition in your shop,and fairly even light distribution,you want metal halide lamps,preferably with tempered glass lenses-low bay type.If you can't find lensed fixtures,you can get type O lamps that supposedly won't "blow up",but they don't come cheap.
3) For even better color rendition and higher energy efficiency,look into T-5 HO flourescents. Prices for these have come way down over the past year,and the light from a 4 lamp (216 watt) fixture is equal to a 400 watt metal halide.

George

 

[kutza]

thanks guys, I will wait out for the metal halide I come across.
I started doing more reading on the Sodium, and I definately dont need a street light inside.
Thanks again. The wealth of knowledge and experience sharedon this site astonishes always, even when I do a search and find answers.

 

[rocco]

if you do get them(total mis-application imo) get a coated lamp, rated for an open fixture.

 

[kutza]

I called the seller and passed up them.
They were really cheap, $25 a pop, and I would still ned to spend money reflecters (maybe). I'd rather hold out for better application lights for my use.
thanks

 

[Special55]

Just remember when dealing with flourescent lights it's more about the bulb than the fixture. I just upgraded my bulbs and the difference is night and day (pun intended).

I used these http://www.1000bulbs.com/product.php?product=28152 and they are great. Their service was good and you will be hard pressed to find these bulbs any cheaper. I know I looked for a week.

The important numbers are the color rendering and color temp. I went with the CRI of 90 and temp of 5000 because that is what most of the local body shops are using in their spray booths. I used the T12 because that is what my fixtures are but as long as you stay close to the CRI and temp numbers mentioned it shouldn't matter weather they are t12, 8, 5 etc.

Rich