Lighting issues - 4ft black housings not very bright?

[GrandmaSideways]

So, I'm working on a budget here.

I got a panel of six 4 ft. fixtures, and the bulbs are 32w each. Anyway, I haven't placed them yet really as when I plugged them in, they seemed pretty dim. They were free. While I'm not adverse to putting in new bulbs for everything (highest I could seem to find was 40w) I'm still worried it won't make a difference. Should I paint the housings white on the inside? Or is it just going to be a waste of time and I should go with something else? These do come off the plywood, however I'm leaving them on there for the time being at the moment.
As well, for detailing cars in the garage, what do you think the best light would be? With the plethora of options like soft white, daylight, etc... What should I really be looking for to detail cars in such a way they'll look good in natural daylight? What's going to pick out dings and imperfections best?

Anyway. Not sure. Cheapest white housings I could find was $16/piece for the four footers, and they have built in ballasts etc... I'd still have to buy bulbs, but, no spray painting in this weather and hoping it dries O.K.

As well, here's my little schematic of placement. I am working on where the best placement would be. I think for detailing the sides of cars, I'll just use a work light, should be ok... Not sure exactly where I want to put everything though, any thoughts?

 

[klhitman]

i would paint them white or silver to reflect some light. as far as the bulb choice. i am not for sure. also you might just need some new bulbs. depends on how old and how long they were used. we have lights that stay on 24/7 in our shop and it seems we are always replacing bulbs. of course there is like 50 bulbs.

 

[GrandmaSideways]

Well they were used for a holiday display at an American Eagle and it was all supposed to be thrown out.
Someone I know works there and saved them.

 

[Torque1st]

Good scrounge!

Are we still giving out "You ****" awards for the best finds??? If so, you have earned one. Congratulations!!!

Clean off the black paint if you can then paint the fixture with the best gloss white you can find according to directions. You will be out the cost of some solvent and a couple cans of spray paint. Black is the color of black holes and ***** in all light.

Put the lights around the edge of the room. Two on each side and two up the middle.

 

[GrandmaSideways]

Heh, there's actually 12 but we might be putting up some in his parents garage. I might scrounge two of those if I need them. Either way, $200 or so worth of lighting and all I need to do is a paint job. Not bad! Power bar, too!
You really think I need to take it to bare metal? Can I not clean them with like alcohol and then spray over?

 

[Torque1st]

You don't need to take them down to bare metal. There is probably a nice gloss white powdercoat or baked enamel finish under that black paint. Test it with some solvent and see if the black paint will come off and leave the white. If it will you may only have to touch up the white paint.

 

[GrandmaSideways]

I'm not sure. It almost looks like there was stickers overtop at one point. Still, can't hurt to look

 

[Torque1st]

Light fixtures of that type are almost universally white.

Good luck!

 

[zwitterman]

Try the brightest bulbs you can find. I had some help at Home Depot with brighter T8 bulbs. Thank there called Phillips daylight or something like that

 

[Steevo]

The ballasts will determine what wattage tubes you can run in them. Most likely they are 32w. The color temp. determines the "whiteness" of the light they produce. 3000k is real "warm" or semi yellowish light, whereas 6500k is very white light, like mid-day sun on a clear winter day.

 

[GrandmaSideways]

So, I repainted these white inside, and I grabbed the other panel. I now have twelve, and plan to put 9 or ten of them inside the garage...
Work great now! All I did was primer inside then spray white - Was happy, a bit of overspray on the sides because I was lazy and didn't mask things off, as well as some runs, but whatever. Work fantastic!

 

[Torque1st]

Excellent!!!

Thanks for the update.

 

[toyz4roy]

Steevo is right the ballasts determine the wattage of bulbs you can use. We use daylight bulbs in our paint shop to examine the cars it mimics daylight 6500k You can really tell when some one doesn't use the correct bulbs. The fixtures we use are black exterior with a mirrored reflective surface at 45 degrees beside the bulbs like this /o\/o\ If you could find some cheap plastic mirrors to cut up and stick behind the bulbs.

 

[ddawg16]

Just to add to what the guys are saying about bulb wattage....the 40W bulbs are basically obsolete. They were replaced by the 32w bulbs....same output....but use 20% less energy. Make sure you have the right bulb for the right ballast.

T12's come in 40 and 32w flavors....with 40w being the old ones....

There is a phase out of T12's....it's going to be harder and harder to buy ballasts and bulbs. If you find a good deal on 32w bulbs....buy it....as your ballasts die...just replace with newer T8's.

 

[GrandmaSideways]

I should clarify...

These are nearly brand new - were used in an American Eagle store display for a month, and were in every store - probably a unique run of all-black lamps for just AE. They were brand new and when they were getting pitched, someone I know that used to work there snagged them.
Anyway, they're all brand new, and are T8 with a 32w ballast and 3200k bulbs.
I've got twice the lamps now (the display was two sided and I have since got the other 6) and this garage will sure be bright when I'm done! I painted with a coat of primer followed by 3-4 coats of gloss White, was really easy. I was lazy about it so they have a lot of overspray and some of them spiderwebbed because I rushed the second batch and put on too much, but they do the job and for $20 in paint I'm not upset!