Fluorescent lighting

[TopBanana]

I have been slowly but surely getting lighting up in my garage between multiple vehicle projects. I've been using the Home Depot economy 2 tube, 4', T8/T12 $8.77/ea units and they work great for the money and really light my 30'x40' garage up well.

I put the rest of what I had previously purchased up this last week and wet to Home Depot to get some more fixtures on Sunday. The only problem is...they are not selling the same fixture anymore. It looks the same and is a T12 only unit. Lowes has an economy fixture for about the same price, but it doesn't have a reflector which won't cut it. I've been searching the web and can't find anything for under $30/ea. I have to buy ~20 more and it's gonna get pricey @ that new cost. Anyone know where I can get some cheap units like what I'm looking for? I just started looking around so I haven't contacted the manufacturer yet...but that's the next step.

Thanks

 

[kbs2244]

Those things are often one time buys for the big box stores.
An outfit like HD may actually buy a million at on time.
They may not be a standard product for the mfg.
If you want to match the ones you now have your best bet would be to have the local store do a search of other stores for the units you have.
They should ship them to your store for no charge.

 

[Mr_fixit]

I have been slowly but surely getting lighting up in my garage between multiple vehicle projects. I've been using the Home Depot economy 2 tube, 4', T8/T12 $8.77/ea units and they work great for the money and really light my 30'x40' garage up well.

I put the rest of what I had previously purchased up this last week and wet to Home Depot to get some more fixtures on Sunday. The only problem is...they are not selling the same fixture anymore. It looks the same and is a T12 only unit. Lowes has an economy fixture for about the same price, but it doesn't have a reflector which won't cut it. I've been searching the web and can't find anything for under $30/ea. I have to buy ~20 more and it's gonna get pricey @ that new cost. Anyone know where I can get some cheap units like what I'm looking for? I just started looking around so I haven't contacted the manufacturer yet...but that's the next step.

Thanks

I'd warn you against looking for more of those..In 6 months at least 1/2 will be dead, and in 12 months 90% will be dead.

And I wouldn't use the t12 fixtures either.
GENERALLY SPEAKING a $20 fixture will last many times longer than those that cost less than 10.

 

[hotro1988]

Have you tried looking at a used building supply store? I purchased some 8' t-8 fixture from my local used building supply and got fixtures that would normally cost in the hundreds of dollars range for $20 each. You might also look for a habitat for humanity outlet, they also can have some very good deals. Last but not least you can always check the Craigslist.

 

[rattlecan]

I picked up some of the $8 fixtures from HD about 2 years ago. I went back to get 2 more and an associate was pulling them off of the shelves... He wouldn't / couldn't sell me 2 matching lights. They were recalled for some reason.

I eventually took the $8 lights down because they would fry bulbs with the quickness.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You might also look for a habitat for humanity outlet, they also can have some very good deals.

Contractors, suppliers and manufacturers will donate new building materials and supplies to Habitat for Humanity, even items that HH actually cannot use (commercial building products, odd stuff, whatever) so they have the store to sell this stuff, and other new and used stuff donated to them.

Charles

 

[Vicegrip]

you might want to look into the 2 tube 8 foot HO fixtures. Common and cheap for the light output. A bit more cost up front per fixture but far less would be needed. LOTS of light and better lumens per watt than the cheap home center stuff.

 

[Aceman]

I think you get what you pay for with lights. I would be surprised if the lights from the big box stores even had the same quality of ballasts as found in an electrical supply house.

My suggestion would be to hit up all the electrical supply houses in the area for lights they received that were damaged. Even if slightly damaged, they can't sell them for "new" price.

 

[Lyaec350]

Go with strip mounted T8 fixtures... T12 is going to be obsolete in a few years.

 

[bookman51]

So what is the difference between T12 and T8. I saw some T12HO in Meinards for $58.00 or should I be going to a electrical supplies and getting T8. I have a 72 x pole building with 36 x 40 of it with concrete floor as shop. Just begin to think about lighting. Oh yes, it is in Nebraska where it does get cold (and hot).
Bookman

 

[sajohnson]

you might want to look into the 2 tube 8 foot HO fixtures. Common and cheap for the light output. A bit more cost up front per fixture but far less would be needed. LOTS of light and better lumens per watt than the cheap home center stuff.

That is what I did. Bought sixteen (16) 2x8' fixtures with electronic ballasts and then found the best H.O. T8 lamps available -- 6,500 degrees K (daylight), and a high color rendering index (CRI).

The lamps weren't cheap but they are rated at 20,000 hours and put out great quality light. They also start quickly too, even when it's cold (not Nebraska cold though -- the garage doesn't get much below freezing).

I have a 30'x40' garage and they light it up like a 7-11 store.

The fixtures do not have reflectors but I painted the ceiling high gloss white.

 

[JB740i]

I was planning on buying the T12 fixtures at HD this weekend but turns out it was cheaper to buy the T8s. The sales guy there recommended the coverless T12 because of the high price of the lens that the T8 fixture had.

I told him I didn't really want the lens anyway so I didn't care if it breaks, so I got the T8 fixtures. Picked up 8 of them at about $18 each. And I got Phillips bulbs after hearing recommendations on them over the sylvania.

I hoped they might still have the t8/t12 fixtures for cheap but no luck there. They had to bring out a new pallet of the t8 fixtures I bought though. Guess they are selling well.


I tried asking what the difference was in the commercial t8 fixture and the one I bought. The commercial/more expensive one had the same stats, it was just wider. He didn't really have an answer for it though.

So I'll have 8 of these in a 24x30x12 detached garage. We'll see how they do. There is two recepticles on the ceiling so if I need more I'll get some that I can plug in I guess....but then they wouldn't be switched.