Lighting Question

[james1savage]

Hi, I am about to start wiring my garage and have a question about lighting. It is 20x24 with a 9' ceiling. There are numerous great deals on T12 lights and fixtures around town but I hear T12 aren't that great. Can anyone shed some light (no pun intended) on the subject? Will I be greatly disappointed if I install half a dozen 4 bulb T12 fixtures?

Thanks for your input and suggestions.

 

[Stuart in MN]

T12 lamps will eventually be phased out of production, so T8 lamps are probably a better choice. They're also more efficient. Here's a pages that explains some of it.

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/publications/commercial/pdf/m144-148-2007e.pdf

 

[regguy1]

Go with T8's more efficient and good for the future T12's are on the way out.

I used 20 48" T8's with 6500K 85 CRI tubes in my 30' x26' and it's like daylight in there now. I used the Home Depot "wrap lights' with plastic diffussor over the tubes, they're $20.00 ea. They also light up in cold temp because of electronic ballasts

 

[bill9860]

used 12 2 bulb T8 Lithonias from HD in my 26x26 x 12.5 h.. Plenty of light. Start right up (garage is at 50 degrees.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The T12 deals you are seeing probably have magnetic ballasts in them, and you are certain to have at least one hum, to annoy you forever. You burn the same energy and get less light, and as time goes by, the bulbs will get more expensive as the T8's become the most common light. Start off on the right foot and get the T8 fixtures.

Charles

 

[Cuda]

I switched over to T8's a couple of years ago. Although I have seen what I feel has been a excessive number of ballast failures with them, the light output is great and energy savings pretty good. (compared to the 400 watt HID's we had)

 

[tfi racing]

Calgary?Absolutely do not buy the T12's,I would not recommend them if they were free.Unless you plan on heating your garage to at least 65-70 degrees at all times,you will be nothing but disappointed with the low light level at any temperature below that,which as you know could be any day of the year.

 

[james1savage]

Thanks for the input guys. I've gone with the T8's. I'm on the process of slowly outfitting the interior of the garage, just got it closed in before the snow! I'll post some pics here shortly.