T5HO in "Low Bay" 10' Ceilings - My experience

[Spudland_Dave]

So…as many of you have seen, I've been quite torn about lighting…too many choices, options, layouts, etc to make sense of it all…On Wednesday I said F-It all and went and purchased one, 2 Bulb T5HO 4' Strip, To at minimum see what all the hoopla was about, cheap enough, and easy enough to replace a single fixture if it didn't work out.
The fixture I got was the infamous Lithonia 4' Strip with NO Reflector available at Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-2-Light-High-Output-Multi-Volt-T5-Compact-White-Fluorescent-Strip-Light-ZR-2-54T5HO-MVOLT-GEB10PS/203137160 (One thing to note about the HD link...the picture in the listing is NOT the correct pic for the HO light, the light pictured is the NON-HO light, the HO has separate "Standard" Tombstones)


Where I got confused and didn’t know what to do was over here on GJ, its apparently some sort of taboo no-no to install a T5HO on any ceiling less than 20' and that T5HO is High Bay ONLY. Reading various information on the web furthered the confusion. Some docs I read were 10-20' should utilize LowBay T5HO fixtures, 15'-35' go with the High Bay.

Then if you go onto forums & groups which are about the actual things IN a shop, vs the Shop itself, you'll find tons of people happy & healthy using T5HO's in many "low" ceilings.

Last night I got everything wired up and had the pleasure of flipping the switch…Personally, I'm very happy…after last night I see many more T5HO's in my future. I love em so much one of the things I'd like to do today is look for a single bulb 4' T5HO strip to place in some of my lower light requirement places. Yes, I only have a single one installed…with a finished white ceiling and white walls, it’s a wonderful light. You would think given some of the suggestions given here that a T5HO was a spot light…not true. Its perfectly acceptable on a 10' ceiling. Moral of the story here is don’t be afraid, There is nothing wrong with a T5HO light on a 10' Ceiling...

 

[bczygan]

Photos?

 

[soob]

I have the T5HOs and I like them. 8' ceilings in my workshop. The glare isn't that bad but it's there. The bigger issue is that many people want to install fewer of them than they would T8 fixtures. That leads to several things -- having some areas much brighter than others, and bad shadows. Overall you're better off installing more T8 fixtures, IMO.

 

[Kin Creed]

I have T5HO's on a 9' or 10' ceiling in my 2 car garage and I think they work great. Since I have quite a few things hanging from the ceiling I did not want to add more lights, and with the T5HO's I was able to use just 5 fixtures with 2x4ft bulbs apiece. That gives me plenty of light and I don't think I have ever been bothered with glare or anything.

The garage is essentially unheated except for occasional weak electric heat in the winter and even when it's below zero the lights work ok, although they are noticeably dimmer when you first turn them on and then they brighten up as they warm up.

These are on a finished white ceiling and I went with the kind that have the diffusers covering the entire light, like you would find in a finished space. I think the diffusers help break up the light and minimize any glare. Anyway, for ease of installation and quality of light I think these were a great choice for my space. They've been installed now for coming up on 3 years and no bulbs have died and no other problems.

I also like the fact they are low profile light so they don't get in the way as much when I'm getting stuff down from close to the ceiling.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Photos?

LOL...good thing I snapped a couple crappy pics with my phone last night..

I have the T5HOs and I like them. 8' ceilings in my workshop. The glare isn't that bad but it's there. The bigger issue is that many people want to install fewer of them than they would T8 fixtures. That leads to several things -- having some areas much brighter than others, and bad shadows. Overall you're better off installing more T8 fixtures, IMO.

I understand what you are saying...and your right, a person must resist the temptation to install half as much just because they are "twice as bright" (dramatically putting it, I know its not exactly 2x brighter)...IMHO they still need to be spaced out accordingly for even light. So in that sense they are (overly simplified) a 1:1 replacement for a T8, just gives you much more light.

As for the T5HO or More T8's you mentioned...all depends on what you want for light, this is IMHO where the Math doesn't match the real life. If your looking for a soft & even light all over like an office space, then yeah, T8's all over is a safe bet. I know putting the one T5HO in has really shifted my thoughts...Best 60 bucks I've spent in a long time.

 

[soob]

Yeah, I dunno. For $60 (or maybe a little more) you could get two 4-bulb 8' T8 strip lights. Space them out a little and you'd get way more light, and much more even distribution.

 

[Movover]

I have been converting my business lights to all LED t8 style, after the 1st few I am happy with the light output and they are dimmable and use less than 1/2 the total power of my t8 lamps (some of that is lack of a ballast). I will put these in my garage when I get around to it, little more investment but I am hoping it will pay back with power savings and the need to change bulbs and the great ability to cold start.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Yeah, I dunno. For $60 (or maybe a little more) you could get two 4-bulb 8' T8 strip lights. Space them out a little and you'd get way more light, and much more even distribution.

$40 Fixture + 20 in bulbs for the T5HO as Shown.
$40 Fixture + 20 For Bulbs on a 4 Bulb 8' T8 solution

Using Home Depot Pricing...

I have been converting my business lights to all LED t8 style, after the 1st few I am happy with the light output and they are dimmable and use less than 1/2 the total power of my t8 lamps (some of that is lack of a ballast). I will put these in my garage when I get around to it, little more investment but I am hoping it will pay back with power savings and the need to change bulbs and the great ability to cold start.

Oh they are nice...if money were no object I wouldn't even be debating and going with LED. Anxiously awaiting the new Efficiency Maine Rebates..
What bugs me about LED is they are "Technology"...not "Hardware" so being more technology then durable good, we ALL know that next year what is top shelf today is not that great the next...and pricing follows. I figure I'll just wait until they come down into realistic pricing. Right now, in a shop lit for what, 2 hours a day, only some days...payback on LEDs would be hundreds of years....In a business setting like yours, with our electric rates, your math is very different then mine. Especially if you took advantage of the last round of incentives.

 

[Platonic Solid]

$17 Cooper Housing + (2x) $19 Samsung 4ft LED Performer T8 bulbs = $55

 

[MixManSC]

I've installed 34 (68 bulbs) in my business shop. Converted 8 foot T12 fixtures to all T5HO. So each 8 foot fixture, using retrofit brackets has two bulbs end to end now. Lot brighter out there and its 14' ceilings that are plain wood (light brown). Very very happy with them. Buying in bulk (actually also did some in a smaller building here too so in total I did 50 fixtures) my cost was right at $34 per fixture to retrofit them including the bulbs, ballast, and retrofit brackets with new tombstones. As an added bonus the power company here, SCE&G gave me a $20 rebate for every one I converted putting my cost at under $15 per fixture on top of more reliable, and using about 50w less energy per fixture.

I used a combination of bulbs 54 watt, and 49 watt (F49T5HO) both in 6500k. Alternated every other fixture with the 47 watt bulbs. Should save a few watts and honestly I cannot visually tell which ones have which bulbs.

I have seen that the direct replacement LED tubes are finally getting down to reasonable prices though. I also still have about 35 T12 troffers here that I plan on eventually converting. I'm only interested in the ones that require removal of the old ballasts. For some reason I just don't like the idea of running leds through the florescent ballasts and its not that hard to remove them and wire 120v direct to the tombstones.

Another idea that had crossed my mind would be a bigass 24v or 12v dc transformer and convert large runs of lighting to low voltage DC and then you can really getting cheap and creative with led's using flexible strips in the fixtures.

 

[SALIV8]

I do not like t5ho only because they are too bright and hurt my eyes if I happen to look up near the fixture. T8s don't do that to me, and t5s are a bit better than the ho but, overall I prefer t8s personally.

Everybody has their own preference.

I'm not sure the maintenance costs are great on t5hos as I believe the ballasts and bulbs are a bit more expensive also.

Looks like a nice space!

 

[MeentSS02]

I've been using 3 of the non-HO variety Lithonia fixtures in my garage for the better part of the past 4 or 5 years...they replaced the main 3 Edison style sockets that were originally installed in the garage (I'm guessing from when the house was built in '88). I love them, and bought a crapload more (14 of them) that I still have yet to install. I fell in love with the form factor of them...they take up hardly any room, which will allow me to install a couple between the garage door tracks and the wall to get light next to my vehicles. This thread has inspired me to get back out there and actually install these things. The HO fixtures look bright as hell...I like it.

 

[Platonic Solid]

I've been using 3 of the non-HO variety Lithonia fixtures in my garage for the better part of the past 4 or 5 years...they replaced the main 3 Edison style sockets that were originally installed in the garage (I'm guessing from when the house was built in '88). I love them, and bought a crapload more (14 of them) that I still have yet to install. I fell in love with the form factor of them...they take up hardly any room, which will allow me to install a couple between the garage door tracks and the wall to get light next to my vehicles. This thread has inspired me to get back out there and actually install these things. The HO fixtures look bright as hell...I like it.

Wait a minute, you say: "The HO fixtures look bright as hell...I like", yet you are installing non-HO.
There's a huge, up to 2,100 lumens per lamp, difference between F54T5HO and F28T5.

 

[MeentSS02]

Wait a minute, you say: "The HO fixtures look bright as hell...I like", yet you are installing non-HO.
There's a huge, up to 2,100 lumens per lamp, difference between F54T5HO and F28T5.

Correct, because I bought the F28T5 fixtures/bulbs a few years back...I don't think they had the HO version available at the time (at least I don't remember seeing them). So read my statement as "I like the HO brightness, but I'm not going to buy 14 new fixtures because of it, especially when I already have the others on hand". Personally, the non-HO versions are decently bright with only 3 of them in my garage with ~10' ceilings. An additional 14 haloing my vehicles should be more than enough.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Correct, because I bought the F28T5 fixtures/bulbs a few years back...I don't think they had the HO version available at the time (at least I don't remember seeing them). So read my statement as "I like the HO brightness, but I'm not going to buy 14 new fixtures because of it, especially when I already have the others on hand". Personally, the non-HO versions are decently bright with only 3 of them in my garage with ~10' ceilings. An additional 14 haloing my vehicles should be more than enough.

You have the right fixtures for your ceiling height.

 

[MeentSS02]

You have the right fixtures for your ceiling height.

Now to get off my lazy **** and install them.

 

[bloomingtonmike]

For the bulb expert deal finders - where is the best places to buy the F54T5HO 5k bulbs in bulk (25 packs or 50 packs)?

 

[Rkbuell]

Ether only thing I don't like about the t8ho lamps is the heat. Changed a radio type shop on base from t12 to t5ho and now they birch the ac which is important to their components and work is not sufficient. When entering this building I can actually feel a difference in ac temp. But my job was to just relamp the building. Also relamped some areas to LED and other areas to t8. You can really feel the heat from t5ho lamps.

 

[rkstr]

Go for the 8' T5HO at Home Depot and use two switches.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Go for the 8' T5HO at Home Depot and use two switches.

2 Steps ahead of ya ...when I wired up the lighting on that end of the shop I did so for 2 switches.
I would do exactly that if I went with T8's but My only concern with that on the T5HO is I think I'd prefer to spread things out a bit...as it stands, using the single unit I have installed, I think I grossly over-estimated the amount of fixtures I need/want.

Someone mentioned it above. but I LOVE the form factor of these...that alone turns me off on T8's. I just wish the Non-HO T5 Lithonia fixture @ Home Depot used the standard Tombstones, not the single molded piece....I'd put T5HO in the places I want insane light, and Standard T5's over in my parking end... Are there any dual (HO/Non-HO) T5 ballasts? Or Plan B is I look for and get a single bulb 4' T5HO for those fixtures...

 

[cybrdyke]

Are there any dual (HO/Non-HO) T5 ballasts?

No.
CD

 

[Cheech]

Just flipped the switch in our 30x32 shop last night. 8 t5 ho with 4100k lamps. Pretty impressed with the light output....85 ish foot candles.