Re: Shop Lights

On 21 Jan 2006 20:07:19 -0800, "joebass" <joebass1977@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>In my new shop there are 8 foot twin T12 bulb fluorescent fixtures with
>magnetic ballasts. They all are pretty old and some need new ballasts
>and bulbs. I just won an Ebay auction for 10 new electronic T8 bulb,
>ballasts. If I can score another 15 ballasts for what I got these for
>I'll be in business.

As long as the new ballasts aren't regular Slimline (single pin) and
the old fixtures aren't High Output (bipin shrouded in an oval)...

Those ballasts will keep what you've got installed now running - but
if you are replacing any more, I'd suggest switching over to a F32T8
electronic fixture with mirrored reflectors to squeeze every lumen out
of each watthour you buy. They make "Tandem" 4-lamp fixtures that
have the same footprint and mount the same as a 2-lamp 8'.

Electronic ballasts will minimize the 120 Hz 'stroboscope' effects
that magnetic ballasts give on lathes and other rotating machinery.

And for a shop, I'd buy the clear plastic tube-guard sleeves for all
bulbs in open fixtures. Have one screw go -ZING!- flying off, it
breaks a lamp, and you get a glass shower...

> I need some bulb advice. Do I wany cool white
>4100k bulbs, warm white bulbs, full spectrum bulbs, daylight bulbs?
>It's pretty confusing.

Cool White is the default and best value, and are just fine for
general area lighting. The Daylight or other color temperature lamps
with a high Color Rendering Index (CRI) rating are good when you need
to match paints and patinas. They blend the phosphors to have an even
spread of light across the spectrum frequencies.

'Warm White' 2700K and 'Kitchen & Bath' mainly exist to match
existing incandescent lamps inside a house, and are no help for shop
lighting.

There are some of really odd colors out there (6400K and higher)
that are mainly sold for 'color snobs' and motion picture and TV
production work. (They need to match the lamps to the film speed when
they're filming inside a house so they don't get an odd color tinge.)
And since they don't sell in volume, they charge up the wazoo. If
they want triple the price (or more) pass unless you /really/ need
them.

Especially with 8 footers, buy lamps by the case. They are more
likely to survive the trip, and you'll always need replacements.

--<< Bruce >>--

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.
.

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