Hi Bay lights -- value?

[Bunchgrass]

My local lumberyard has switched over to the E-saving lights that use motion detection to turn on (hate them - they're pathetically slow when it's cold) and have their old units for sale at $25/ea.

I don't know much more about them as I was in a hurry getting other stuff and couldn't "clutter my head" with more info at the time. What do you think they're worth and potential uses in a shop? I know they were mounted about 20ft off the ground.

 

[rocco]

i'd pass, this is old tech and they end up consuming 50-60% more energy than fluorescent and nearly 75$ more than the comparable LED units available now. You'll more than make up any savings on the initial purchase price once you have to relamp or reballast them.

 

[dbonne]

Unless you get them for free or scrap price, I will have to agree on the pass idea. There are a million "take outs" around now with lighting upgrades happening. If you lived around here I would make you a hella deal with some of the 200 fixtures I pulled out of the plant.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Without knowing something about them, type, wattage, voltage, etc, there is no way of guessing what value or use they might have.

Charles

 

[2ManyProjects]

without knowing something about them, type, wattage, voltage, etc, there is no way of guessing what value or use they might have.

this -----^^^^^

 

[Bunchgrass]

And to boot - I already have my overhead fluorescent lighting in and functioning.

dbonne - southern Idaho is not that far away. I mean, at least it's still Idaho! I'm north of Lewsiton and east of Moscow ..... logging country.

 

[redlinetoys]

Agree with above.

We have rebates in Indiana now that almost make it free to upgrade our 400 watt sodium vapor and 1000 watt metal hydride lamps. This means that every large facility in the state is upgrading their lighting and pulling out the old.

I have seen some guys trying to sell them online and in local craigslist type ads. My guess are there are very few takers.

In addition to the extreme power they use, they often utilize an odd voltage. All of the 700 or so lights are being dismantled and recycled and not even our electricians are interested in them for free...

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The ones that are worth something, are hard to find. Metal halide, 250w and mostly 400w, in 120v or multi-volt ballast, are the most desirable going. Their energy consumption is not bad, and they produce a lot of light.

Yellow/orange high and low pressure sodium are useless to almost everyone, anything over 400w, no matter whether sodium or MH or mercury vapor, are generally useless, and usually higher voltage, such as 277v or 480v.

Mercury vapor is also useless for indoor use.

I got lucky in about 2005 and stumbled onto 400 watt metal halides with translucent polycarbonate reflectors. They look nice, provide a lot of uplight which reflects off the inside of the roof, eliminating cave effect of a tall steel building, and they produce a lot of light. It was 2008 before I was able to install them, but it was worth it. I had $500 in 13 fixtures, I installed 12 of them, lots of conduit and wiring, but I like them. Even today, $500 would not get me far with any other lighting, and no more than I use them, the electric consumption is not bad at all.

Charles

 

[camoguy]

Unless you are mounting over 15' high you do not want Hi Bays. Flourescent is still the way to go. LED is still a little too expensive. But the price is coming down everyday.