Quality Fluorescent Lighting

[Brian Kent]

As I look around for future shop lighting solutions, I would like to know how to determine what is a quality T-8 fixture. What do I look for to know if I am getting a good price or buying junk?

Brian

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian,

A fellow Creeker, Jack L. Lindsey IIRC...I'm having a hardtime remembering his last name...wrote an article that was published In February 2002 FWW IIRC. the article was well written and illustrated.....Shop lighting. Jack is a retired lighting engineer. In the article he explains the differences between good quality ballasts and cheaper ones...what to look for in bulbs..color differences etc. He goes into detail about how to layout your fixtures and compensate for the age of your eyes....you ceiling height...the distance between fixtures etc. Example: IIRC Jack states that if you are under 40 years old you need 1/2 the light than if you are over 40.

I bought the article from FWW and used it to lay out the lighting in my shop. Everyone remarks how well lit it is and the fact there is no shadows.

I bought my fixtures based on the information Jack had in the article. I haven't had a single ballast fail. I have no buzzing. I haven't had bulb fail. They weren't the cheapest fixtures and they weren't the most expensive.

I'd highly recommend getting a copy of the article.

[Chuck Isaacson]

I recently built a new shop and the lights that I got I got at the BORG. They are made by Lithonia Lighting. The are 4' 4 bulb fixtures. Theya re the best ones that the BORG has to offer. I then filled them with bulbs that are like 6400K. They are very bright and would recommend them to anyone.

Chuck

[glenn bradley]

I also bought the second to the cheapest fixture IIRC (at Lowe's). T-8, electronic ballast, worked great for a year or more so I put a dozen more. Fixture is around $18 and the lamps come in contractor packs at HD. Immediate starts in all temperatures (around here anyway), no noise, light in weight. I have been very happy with them.

[Chris Friesen]

As I look around for future shop lighting solutions, I would like to know how to determine what is a quality T-8 fixture. What do I look for to know if I am getting a good price or buying junk?

You want a class P (thermally protected) ballast with a noise rating of A (most quiet).

For bulbs, I like a colour temperature of 5000K. Higher than that and it starts looking bluish. Go for as high a CRI value as you can find/afford...decent bulbs are 86 or so, but you can get as high as 98 (Philips TL950).

[Rollie Meyers]

Lithonia Lighting or Metalux (Cooper) lighting would be good choices, but the fixtures you get at the big box stores is not the same as a good electrical supply house, I would avoid manufacturers such as Simkar, Columbia, oh and the absolute worst: Lights of America.

If you buy Lithonia LB series wraparounds the difusers are avail. all over, not cheap but avail. this is handy when they get broken & the supplier quit handling the line & you need to replace a damaged one.

[Brian Kent]

Does IIRC mean "If I Remember Correctly"?

Is CRI the Lumens / watts? I saw T8 bulbs at 97 Lumens per Watt (8') and 87 Lumens per Watt (4') today so I assume that this is what you mean. What do the initials stand for?

Brian

[Brian Kent]

Just found it:

"Color Rendering Index"

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian,

Yes, IIRC is an abbreviaton for "If I Remember Correctly" and I find I use it often.......more often than I used to ......

[Neal Flatley]

I had a Lights of America unit actually go up in flames. I'm suspect now of any 4 foot fixture that sells for $9.99.

Neal

[Chris Kennedy]

I apologize in advance for doing this -- I am going to give you a suggestion different from your original thought.

I have a 14' by 16' shop. I recently replaced several of my defunct fluoros with track lighting that plug into ceiling sockets. The arrays had three lights per track, each rated to take up to 40 or 60 watt bulbs. I put in lower wattage CFLs that provide the equivalent of 100 watts incandescent. Long story short, I have basically the equivalent of 300 watts of incandescent light aimed at my assembly table. It is fantastic. Additionally, the light is directional.

In a bigger shop for general light, obviously regular fluoros are the way to go, but the concentrated light right where I need it is just great.

Cheers,

Chris