stppinz
Active member
Has anyone seen any good deals of late for 4' and 8' flourescent Lights? Or any suggestions of the best place to get them?
Thanks
Thanks
Flourescent Lights
- Thread starter stppinz
- Start date
Dave Carney
Well-known member
4', 4 bulb T8 fixtures with cover, $50 or so at lowes.
Crazy Legs
Well-known member
This is kinda off the subject but i have a 8' flourescent light and it was turning the ends of the bulbs black, then it went to flickering, and now it doesn't even come on...... is that the ballast i need to replace?
Special55
Well-known member
If price is the main consideration take a look at these.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/...escent&parentPage=search&searchId=18985014212
http://www.acehardware.com/product/...escent&parentPage=search&searchId=18985014212
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
I bought some Lithonia brand light fixtures at Home Depot a month or two ago, 48" long, two T8 tubes with electronic ballasts. I don't recall the price exactly but they were something like $25 or $30 each. I'm an electrical engineer in the construction trades, and I talked to one of the electricians I work with and he said that was cheaper than he could get them with his contractors discount at the electrical supply house. Lithonia is a top brand, they're a high quality commercial product and they put out a lot of light. For some reason the particular fixtures I bought don't show up on the Home Depot website, but they did have them in stock in the store.
They sell the tubes separately; I'd recommend getting the ones with the highest color rating you can - at least 3500 degrees K, if not more. The ones I bought are 5200 degrees K, I think, and they put out a very white light - not that crummy yellowish cast you get with cheap ones.
I believe the actual model I bought was a Lithonia LA232, it looks like this:
They sell the tubes separately; I'd recommend getting the ones with the highest color rating you can - at least 3500 degrees K, if not more. The ones I bought are 5200 degrees K, I think, and they put out a very white light - not that crummy yellowish cast you get with cheap ones.
I believe the actual model I bought was a Lithonia LA232, it looks like this:
Attachments
Crazy Legs
Well-known member
yeah i have the cheapy's also and this one is the only one that's giving me troubles it seems to eat 8' bulbs 
jarhead
Well-known member
Ksths2 said:
From shopnotes magazine....
Black at end of tube, need to replace tube soon
Tube blinks on and off, time to replace tube
Tube hesitates or starts slow,
. needs new starter if fixture has one
. replace ballast
. cold, will come on in a few minutes
Orange glow at ends, needs new starter
Loud humming
.tighten all screws
. replace ballast if tightening screws fails to fix problem
trainer
Well-known member
I bought a lot of 42- 2 bulb t-8 fixtures on Ebay for a total of $200 CDN including shipping. They came with reflectors, diffusers, and (used) bulbs.
I used 18 in my new shop and now im trying to sell the excess locally.
I always like to change the bulbs in pairs. If you have more than just 1 or 2 with dark ends then consider changing every lamp. They really lose output over time.
I used 18 in my new shop and now im trying to sell the excess locally.
OldCarGuy said:
I always like to change the bulbs in pairs. If you have more than just 1 or 2 with dark ends then consider changing every lamp. They really lose output over time.
stppinz said:
As others replied, Lowes is a good source (bought mine there- 2 light 48"). Get the T-8's with electronic ballast...no noise and great light output for around $25 or less. I believe there is a high output T-8 tube available..at least get the one with the highest Kelvin number.
ranger_dood
Well-known member
Lowes/Home Depot is a good place. I bought one from there, and liked it, though the ballast blew on my first one not long after I got it (with a loud bang). The second one has been going for a while now.
I also got two from my local Ace Hardware store. They were cheaper than the Home Depot one, but they do not like to cold start. The HD one fires both bulbs right up, but the two Ace fixtures start the first bulb, buzzzzzz for about 15 minutes, and will eventually fire the second bulb. This is only when it's cold outside. If it's 50 or above, they fire right up.
I also got two from my local Ace Hardware store. They were cheaper than the Home Depot one, but they do not like to cold start. The HD one fires both bulbs right up, but the two Ace fixtures start the first bulb, buzzzzzz for about 15 minutes, and will eventually fire the second bulb. This is only when it's cold outside. If it's 50 or above, they fire right up.
Gummi Bear
Well-known member
I like the newer fixtures, that use an electronic ballast, rather than the old style coil-n-oil style. They tend not to be so cold natured, start faster, weigh less (a LOT less), and when they finally do fail, they don't leave a bunch of black smelly goop all over inside your fixture.
Home Depot carries the Lithonia 4 lamp, 8' fixtures for a pretty reasonable price here. I've gotten to the point that I don't like to install fixtures that use 8' tubes anymore, 4'ers are so much easier to handle, store and transport. My customers tend to like them better too.
Home Depot carries the Lithonia 4 lamp, 8' fixtures for a pretty reasonable price here. I've gotten to the point that I don't like to install fixtures that use 8' tubes anymore, 4'ers are so much easier to handle, store and transport. My customers tend to like them better too.
recycler
Member
I am having T5HO 4 foot 4 bulb lights installed in my shop. All the research and personal accounts are that they are cat's ***. I'll give my personal opinion soon. Brad
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Gummi Bear said:
+1 on that. 8' tubes can be a real hassle, if for no other reason than trying to carry them home from the store. 4' fixtures can be mounted end-to-end to give you the same effect as an 8 footer if so desired.
benaj
Member
Just a tiny bit off topic, but does anyone have any good links to info to help decide T12 vs T8 lighting for garages? I need to begin light design for a 14x21 garage with 4 post lift. Small spaces with one big object in the center create for a bit of a lighting challenge.
Gummi Bear
Well-known member
recycler said:
They're blindingly bright, and surprisingly efficient. I've installed quite a few of these in the last few years, and I'm seeing them spec'd more and more often on larger warehouse jobs. They're more efficient than the HID fixtures that they're replacing. If you'll notice, many Wal Mart and Home Depot stores have gone to these, they even retrofitted the HD by my house a few months back.
If you like a brightly lit workspace, you're going to love them!
Gummi Bear
Well-known member
benaj said:
Not very many fixtures are manufactured with the T12 in mind anymore. They just aren't as efficient as they need to be, and at some point all production on them must stop.
Look at the T8 fixtures, with electronic ballast, or if you live in a cold climate and like to work in the winter, look at HO fixtures.
How the fixtures are arranged and how many fixtures there are in the workspace is up to you. Determine how bright you want it to be, and get some help from there. Lithonia has the light output of most of their fixtures online (it's called the Photometric Data) for a given height.