[Shop-talk] Lighting

[David Scheidt]

On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 1:56 PM, Doug Braun <doug at dougbraun.com> wrote:

> What is special about these?  Do they use electronic ballasts?
>
> Nearly all t8 fixtures have high efficiency electronic ballasts  (Though
I've seen crappy magnetic ones, within the last year or so, at one of the
big box'o'crap stores.  So pay attention...) which solve most of the
complaints people have about fluorescent tubes.  They're high frequency, so
they don't flicker (the flicker period is less than the persistence of the
phosphor so there isn't any flickering), they start quickly, and they'll
start when it's cold.  (The ones in our garage are claimed for 0F; I don't
know that it's ever been that cold in there, but they come on well below
freezing.)  Bulb life is also improved, and there are other benefits as well
(most t8 tubes are higher efficiency)

-- 
David Scheidt
dmscheidt at gmail.com