Walmart 4ft f32t8 fixture

[altereddezignz]

Hey guys as you know if you have read i am having a big battle trying to figure out how many lights i need in my shop and what to do to change out my 4 metal halids. Area is 50 wide and 35 deep and right at 13ft from floor to bottom of truss where light would be mounted. I can get these lights for 8$ each
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lights-of...erica-4-Solid-State-Shop-Light-White/19759624

and i can use these bulbs for 2.50 each
http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/56690/F-32L359.html

Now i have no idea how many i will need b/c i can not find any information on what the lumens is a t a specific height?

 

[Fueler]

easy peezy. Go buy whatever $100.00 will get you. Install. Ponder. Go buy more if needed.

 

[Zippercat]

Geez, did you read the buyer reviews at your link? Buyer beware!

 

[lbperry]

Better check the online reviews. Majority fail in very short time.

 

[altereddezignz]

I donno i have 15 of the t12 versions in a paintbooth garage and have had them for 7 years now with no issues. So i donno if it is just bad luck or maybe they are junk

 

[Jawn]

Huh, guess I've been lucky. I've had 3 of them for a few years now.

 

[altereddezignz]

Nevermind....

 

[altereddezignz]

could do this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ent-Residential-Shop-Light-1233-RE/202994372#
I also found this forum post
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=228030

 

[Bib Overalls]

I had an underwhelming experience with WalMart T12 shop lights. Put up 12 and six died very quickly. The others failed over time. Their T8 fixtures may be better but I am not going to do a test.

Very impressed with the T8 fixtures I bought at Lowe's. Good light quality and they fire up quickly. Not that much more and better all around.

 

[altereddezignz]

well right now i am trying to see how many of the http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...Shop-Light-1233-RE/202994372#shipping_options home depot can get me

 

[hoffman912]

i highly recommend getting these from home depot. They have tons of light and they have female sockets on one end so you can plug them into each other and create of chain of lights.. and they are only $50 each.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ty-Fluorescent-Shoplight-1284GRD-RE/202968125

 

[altereddezignz]

i highly recommend getting these from home depot. They have tons of light and they have female sockets on one end so you can plug them into each other and create of chain of lights.. and they are only $50 each.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ty-Fluorescent-Shoplight-1284GRD-RE/202968125

They are nice but for me to fill a 3 550 area u would spend alot of money. I can get pretty much the same light in the link above and buy almost 4 for the price of one of these. I need even list distribution.

 

[Falcon67]

I have three of the units in post #1. I use them as task lights. So far, no issues with them. At 13' off the floor, you're gonna need a LOT of them with 6500K bulbs IMHO.

In the old shop, I used 4' fixtures from Lowes - those seems to be a better configuration and hold up better than the HD 4' T8 units. Not sure why, really.

 

[altereddezignz]

I have three of the units in post #1. I use them as task lights. So far, no issues with them. At 13' off the floor, you're gonna need a LOT of them with 6500K bulbs IMHO.

In the old shop, I used 4' fixtures from Lowes - those seems to be a better configuration and hold up better than the HD 4' T8 units. Not sure why, really.

The bulbs are 5000k and 6100 lumens per fixture. I have been trying to figure out how much light loss is at the actually 12.5 ft from floor. I could always hang them lower around 8 or so but i am afraid at that point i wouldn't get the light spread.

I am looking at atleast 4 runs of 5 bulbs. Spacing would be 8.3 ft off wall and every 8.3 ft center of lamp on the runs with 5 bulbs. Then on the opposite direction it would be 7ft off the wall then every 7 ft after that.

20 fixtures at 6100 lumens is 122000 lumens. So about 70 lumens per SF, But again i do not now the loss per hight of the fixtures.

 

[pattenp]

I don't know where you're located or if you care about code or not, but do you realize the outlets on the ceiling for cord and plug lights will need to be GFCI protected. This is assuming your shop is on a concrete slab at grade. Have you considered hardwired lighting?

 

[altereddezignz]

I have a buddy that is an electrician so i get all boxes, wiring and outlets at cost so not worried about that. Would rather them be plug and play since if one goes bad it is easier to replace. On the other hand i do not have a code restriction since i am in the county and have already checked when i built the shop.

 

[Highbeam]

I aint gettin no dang gun permit.

 

[Random Guy]

The problem with those Walmart fixtures is that the ballast is built into the end caps, so when it fails you can't put a new ballast in it. I'd recommend stepping up to the cheap white shop light Home Depot sells. It's like $13, has a decent quality housing and sockets, and if the ballast goes out you can replace it. The reason I like to be able to replace the ballast is that a $20 ballast is much higher quality than one that comes in a $13 fixture.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ial-Shop-Light-1233-RE/202994372?N=5yc1vZc7bu

 

[altereddezignz]

The link you posted is the one i am looking at. I have the ability to replace the ballast and with it being an employee purchase they warranty them at store for 3 years. a year longer than the manufacturers 2 year.

 

[altereddezignz]

Well here are a couple pics of my ship with the 4 halids on and a picture of only 2 of the 4 ft t8 fixtures. Sorry about shop it is a mess. This is just one area that i am working on the lighting.

 

[Syberia]

I bought 4 of those fixtures (before reading the online reviews, lol) and they've been working fine for about 2 months. Knock on wood.

 

[blind]

Hopefully I don't jinx myself. I've been using 11 of these for 3-4 years without any issues. I've surface mounted 4 of them by popping out the center cover and screwing to trusses.

 

[jaker10]

I put up 25 of those lights, and 2 more over a work bench. Installed 2 years ago and have not lost any. I did have 1 bad right out of the box. I'm very happy with them.

 

[altereddezignz]

I put up 25 of those lights, and 2 more over a work bench. Installed 2 years ago and have not lost any. I did have 1 bad right out of the box. I'm very happy with them.

Is this the Walmart light or the Home Depot light?

 

[rburke65]

I'll bet Home Depot can get you as many lights as you have money for....

 

[altereddezignz]

Here are a couple layout. not sure what to use. It ranges from 20-31 lights.
The black lines are the truss's. I will have to put at-least 2 or 3 on the outside truss no matter what i do b/c there is a dead shadow spot there now with just the 2 fixtures i hung last night.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

You may want to put some of the lights on longer chains to bring them down to a better height for work areas over benches or similar.

I would also be tempted to point some lights up at your ceiling- you have a white backing on that insulation so some bounce lighting from the ceiling will really help in preventing the cave like feeling that a dark overhead space can create. It's more of a mood thing, but makes a huge difference.

 

[altereddezignz]

I had actually thought about facing a few lights up for that purpose. I will see what it looks like when they are installed.
Here is a picture of the operating and install costs.

 

[altereddezignz]

16 of my lights came in last night so i think i am going to try the layout for 2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3-2. I am going to just hang the runs of 3 and see what it looks like and adjust from there. Luckely with the way they plug in as long as i put 2 boxes on each run i can move them however i need to.

 

[Random Guy]

Are you using the Walmart lights, or the Home Depot ones?

 

[altereddezignz]

Sorry the home depot lights. Better ballast and the ballasts are changeable. That and i bought one of the Walmart ones and one of the home depot ones and compared it with the same bulbs. the home depot fixture produced a lot more light. Took the Walmart back. It was also flimsy.

 

[sick_46]

Did you end up going with the $12 home depot ones?

 

[altereddezignz]

Yes, i ended up using a 15$ then i got my discount on top of that so they were cheaper.
I have 9 rafters so i ended up using 3 fixtures on 5 rafters starting on the very outside. I think i am going to go back on the 4 remaining rafters and place 2 more fixtures on them.

I have attached a pic i snapped real quick.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

Remember to check on the mounting. If they come with chains, they often aren't designed to be mounted tight to a flat ceiling. Some of them need air circulation on the "top side" of the housing so they don't overheat.

They will work, but you will have short life on the ballasts. This happened to me in the cellar, I change a ballast every 6 months. Not a BIG deal, but a PIA.



.

 

[stage20]

They are nice but for me to fill a 3 550 area u would spend alot of money. I can get pretty much the same light in the link above and buy almost 4 for the price of one of these. I need even list distribution.

the ballast factor on these is very low from a thread i searched. you can end up with more light getting 2 2 bulb fixtures with a higher ballast factor for the same price.

it is nice to daisy chain a couple three together, though

 

[waterss]

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These are the Walmart lights and the 6500k light bulbs from HD.
There are 40 fixtures altogether and are mount at 16' of the ground. Mounted in a grid and it cast very little shadow.

 

[justin1795]

I purchased one to replace a failing one. for some reason after a hour it would turn of and you would have to recycle the pull chain. it wasent a big deal but eventually I had enough and changed it. mine was a silver color.