Good quality 2 bulb t8 4 footer?

[obj]

Hello all, I was wondering if you guys could give some suggestions for a shop light. I installed some in my place a couple years back (wish I did differently) and now my father asked me to install about 5 of them at his house.

Specifically would like to have:

-2 bulb T8 4ft fixture, good quality ballast, would like to keep $ up to $60 max per fixture

-here is a stretch...anything other then made in China?

-come ready to HARDWIRE to house juice, seems like so many have the damn cords on them to plug into an outlet

-pull chain would be nice option..to kill lights to less used areas

Thank you for any suggestions you can give. I just wanted to do a little research before getting them for him.

I already replaced a couple of ballasts in mine (after 2+ years..wtf?) and don't want him to have the same issue with ****.

Side note with mine: even bought a case of some nice quality Ushio 32w bulbs for mine, seemed a little better, but with **** ballasts I have still seem to chew through the bulbs and give problems.

 

[Falcon67]

>-here is a stretch...anything other then made in China?

Not that I'm aware of. I would buy whatever fixture type you like - maybe a "industrial" type with a removable service cover behind the lights. The thicker sheet metal bases also leave room for things like pull chain switches. Those types usually assume that you'll hardwire them - no cords provided.

All my HD 8' x 4 bulb units are made in China, total fixture cost $40 at the time. I have 14 and in the last 7 years replaced two ballasts. I also have some of the "cursed" Lights of America cheap-o units - never had one fail. They are not as easy to mount as the industrial type. Note that all of the LED "shop light" fixtures I've looked at are made using an extrusion as a base and can't be disassembled to mount to a surface. You'd have to drill through the body of the fixture and use long screws to mount them.

 

[pattenp]

Don't know your location, but I've got these T8 low profile fixtures in my workshop and I'm pleased with them. They need to be hardwired.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-...ent-Light-Common-4-ft-Actual-48-12-in/1225813

 

[Dragfluid]

With quality LED's being affordable now, why screw with T-8's?
See thread at top. ^

 

[obj]

Thank you Falcon67, pattenp, Dragfluid for taking the time to reply.

Falcon67, I think I am going in the direction of something with a service panel for the folks. Ya try to buy quality, but all **** fails after time...something that can be serviced without removing the whole fixture body overhead would be damn nice

Thanks for the info too about the LED fixtures and extruded base




pattenp, will have to check them out at Lowes, have one not too far away. If I can get something local would like to go that route, you know something made of bent sheet metal and 4 ft long is going to arrive at the doorstep in a twisted hunk if I get it online



Dragfluid, completely agree, but bought a case of Ushio 32w T8s so could hook my father up all day long with bulbs...one less thing he would need to buy.

Definitely not crapping on the idea of LEDs though, I mean yes he wouldn't have to buy T8 floro bulbs, BUT I do notice every time I go over there he likes to leave all the lights on..32wx2 bulbs per fixture x 5 fixtures...so LEDs might be a better option since he likes to burn the juice

 

[tfi racing]

Virtually every light fixture at every price point is cheap flimsy junk,and come from either Mexico or China.All you can do is look for a name brand ballast such as Phillips,GE or Sylvania and hope for the best.

 

[Falcon67]

Virtually every light fixture at every price point is cheap flimsy junk,and come from either Mexico or China.All you can do is look for a name brand ballast such as Phillips,GE or Sylvania and hope for the best.

A proper summary. Comparing my fixtures to the single 8' pin type mag ballast units that came out of our building at work - probably 50s, 60s units, building built in 1947 - there is no comparison to the weight of material and construction. The building is 3 story, you could throw those old fixtures off the roof and not hurt them. Those days are past.

As above, I'm slowly switching everything over to LEDs. I have some that work with existing ballast and testing a pair of "bypass" units that don't use a ballast. Both are working well and don't have any of the minor issues I see with T8s - cheaper ballasts or bulbs taking some time to go full bright (even at 90F air temp), occasional ballast hum in the fixture - things like that. Instant on, nice and bright.