Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Fluorescent lights (I need help here)

From: Doug Braun <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:56:37 -0400

I have a pair of fixtures that take 8-foot T12 HO bulbs (which have a
different type of pins at each end).
They are real bright.  Last year I found reasonably-priced GE electronic
ballasts to replaced the original magnetic ones, and now they start right
up in winter weather, and are totally silent.

But I suspect that these types of fixtures are being phased out.

Doug

> At 07:57 PM 3/13/2013, [email-masked] wrote:
>
>> OK, I know we beat this horse to death, and I thought I understood it, but
>> I guess i didn't.
>>
>> Here is the situation, I need to add lighting for the shop. I'm replacing
>> two- 4' fluorescent fixtures.  The ceiling is at 14'  and the area I want
>> to light in front of where I work on cars.  So I figured I would add four-
>> 4' fluorescent light fixtures in a "U" shape around the area.  (Think of a
>> parked car...  One light on each side of the front 1/4 panels and two
>> perpendicular to the front of the car so the lights are wrapped around the
>> front end.)
>>
>> I wanted the brightest fluorescent lights I could find.  I hung 32watt,
>> dual bulb T8 fixtures with 6500 Lumens about 1' down from the ceiling (so
>> about 13' off the ground, I need it them this high for clearance issues.)
>>
>> Anyway, I turned them on and I was quite disappointed.  So disappointed
>> that I hooked up my old 4' fluorescent fixtures with unknown T12 bulbs and
>> wattage.  The different was huge!  The new lights were nothing compared to
>> the old ones.
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From: David Scheidt <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:41:53 -0500

On Thu, Mar 14, 2013 at 5:10 PM,  <[email-masked]> wrote:
> Steven writes...
>
>>New fluorescent tubes require a "break in" period to achieve full
>>brightness.  Did you leave them on for a while before you judged them
>>inadequate?
>
> I never heard this.  How long are we talking?

12 to 24 hours.  It's particularly important with dimming ballasts,
because improper burn in leads to greatly reduced lamp life.  Proper
burn in increases lamp life, increases output, and decreases warm up
time.

-- 
David Scheidt
[email-masked]

[email-masked]