Lights for cold weather

[nate379]

I am looking at putting a few lights in my shed. Now it won't be a workshop, but I may end up doing small maint. work on stuff in there from time to time.

I have use fluorescent lights in the cold before, usually they are very dim and after a while get brighter.

Is there anything that doesn't work that way that isn't super expensive?

 

[tatra]

whatever you do, make sure they are quiet...................

 

[nate379]

 

[mrb]

if youre not out there alot and using the lights all the time, maybe just some incandescent rough service lamps?

for fluorescent, you could use freezer ballasts -those are rated to -20, but theyre expensive $70 or so each for a 2x 4ft tube version

 

[Falcon67]

T8 electronic ballast shop lights start fine in cold weather.

 

[nate379]

I know this will start fine to at least single digit temps, but how about -30*?

Also even though they start, the lights are dim for a while. Even in my garage which I keep at 55* I notice it.

Have been thinking of putting 2 switches, one that would turn on 1 or 2 reg incandescent bulbs and then the other switch would turn on a few fluorescent bulbs.

I don't plan on spending all that much time out there, but I have a feeling that will be just like saying "oh this garage is PLENTY big" hahaha.

 

[Norcal]

I am looking at putting a few lights in my shed. Now it won't be a workshop, but I may end up doing small maint. work on stuff in there from time to time.

I have use fluorescent lights in the cold before, usually they are very dim and after a while get brighter.

Is there anything that doesn't work that way that isn't super expensive?

Use HO (High Output) 800 Ma or VHO (Very High Output) 1500 Ma FL lights. Both are quite well suited for cold temps but VHO is rather obsolete, they were used a lot for gas station canopy lighting before they were retrofitted w/ Metal Halide.

 

[Falcon67]

Didn't know that, how cold?

Doesn't get much below 20s here. I think the ones I have claim full start at 0F. If these are dim at all in the cold, I don't notice it. If the shop stays at 55 or above, they look full bright to me. Can't help anybody with that -30 junk - you can keep that!

 

[Gary S]

Didn't know that, how cold?

My T8s with electronic ballasts are rated down to 0 degrees F. If you need to go lower, look into the HO fixtures. I've seen them rated to -20 F.

 

[trythis]

You can get very high quality GE T12 HO electronic ballasts for pretty cheap at home depot here. (40 bucks per ballast for F96 two bulb T12 HO). The T12HO fixtures and bulbs are not being phased out with the other T12 phase outs, so they will be around a while. I have them in my shop, and they work fine in the cold. You have to look for the rating of -20 start on any ballast or lamp you buy, they sell all sorts of ballasts that have very different ratings.