Shop lighting

[Jerome Hanby]

I've seen some posts about suggestions for types of fluorescent light tubes and number and placement, and I think I can decide that stuff. What I'd like to find is some decent inexpensive fixtures. I'm thinking I want 4 tube units with reflectors. My shop ceiling is ridiculously high (think basketball gymnasium height) and for some insane reason the only lights are two common indoor 2 light bulb fixtures and the lights on the two garage door openers. Of course the bulbs on the two fixtures are shot and my tallest ladder doesn't get me anywhere near them and they are not positioned so that using one of those poles to change the bulbs is possible. My thought is to run a circuit on it's own breaker up the wall and across the ceiling and install a bank of outlets that are switched through a relay. All the lights will hook up to the bank and the relay will be activated by the current light switch. The fixtures will hang by chains to a height that gives me good light at floor level and is reachable from a normal ladder for bulb and ballast changes. I don't need Cadillac fixtures, but I'd like something that will give me decent service. I'm figuring 4 - 6 fixtures, I'd love to be able to spend in the neighborhood of $50 a fixture (not including bulbs). Any suggestions?

Talked to Nations Rents and it looks like if I have a lift delivered on a Friday morning and picked up Monday morning, then I only get charged for a one day rental! So I'm going to get everything wired, cleared, and stockpiled as much as possible and do all the "high" work on a long (tall) weekend.

[Joe Angrisani]

Why not run the new lights through their own switch? The possibility of "a little light" when you just need to grab something could be a good option. And a switch and box has to be less than a relay.

Someone else will have to chime in on the lights themselves. I look forward to those comments.

[Greg R Bradley]

Since you have the height I would seriously consider the Lithonia IB632MVH I-Beam 6 bulb T-8 High Bay Fixtures that Home Depot is selling for $80. These have two of the good MVolt 120-277 ballasts in them so you can wire them as two separate 3 bulb fixtures if you want. These are great when mounted at least 12 feet high for general use.

The I-Beam series is moving toward T5 light bulbs, which do make more sense when run 100 hours a week or more. These are basically $160-180 fixtures for about half price. The two ballasts in the fixture would cost $80 when bought wholesale.

[Jerome Hanby]

Greg, those fixtures look pretty nice. I'm guessing I can uses fewer of those versus 4 bulb units and get the same results, so the price matches my goal. I found some used fixtures on the local CL that are located right down the street from me, so if those don't pan out, I'll visit HD and take a look.

Joe, we're renting this place and while I've got permission to make improvements, I don't want to spend a lot of effort on things I can't take with me. I'll spring for the breakers and wiring because there is no other way to get the job done (short of screwing in those light bulb to ac outlet adapters). You know, maybe I'm over thinking this. If each of the existing fixtures can operate two 100 watt bulbs then it seems to me that each could operate two 4 bulb florescent units. Think those would run less than 130 watts each, a little higher, but maybe close enough?

[Lee Ludden]

I'll second Greg on those Lithonia I beam High Bay Fixtures - they are amazingly bright.

[Jerome Hanby]

Well, I found some 4 bulb t-12 fixtures on the local CL just down the road from me. They are Metalux fixtures that are surplus from a local hospital upgrade. Units are pretty heavy, I'll give them that. Each has 2 ballasts and a diffuser panel. Guy was selling them for $10 a piece, buy three and get the fourth for $2, so I dropped $64 and bought 8 units. He threw in some bulbs, so I can test the units as I get them cleaned up without buying bulbs. Looks like I need to replace a few sockets. Think I'll buy a few cans of white Rustolem and paint them as I get them cleaned and tested. Looks like I can get Phillips 6500 K Daylight fluorescent t12 4 foot bulbs for about $2.50 a piece in boxes of 10. Think those will do the job?

[Buck Williams]

Depends on how long you'll be renting that space. In July of 2012 replacement lamps for those fixtures won't be allowed to be manufactured anymore. DOE standards will phase them out to push us towards using more efficient lamp and ballast combinations. You might look into stocking up on replacements, fluorescent lamp life is pretty good. Good Luck.

[Jerome Hanby]

I saw this come up in some other thread as a concern and IIRC it turned out to not be an issue. Looks like the "fair play" plan would be to no longer allow the fixtures to be manufactured and phase the bulbs out over the next couple of decades. As for the rental time, longest case might be five years, more probably 3 years. I don't really want to spend much money here, but as things sit now, I can only work during daylight hours and for all practical purposes only when it's not raining.

Depends on how long you'll be renting that space. In July of 2012 replacement lamps for those fixtures won't be allowed to be manufactured anymore. DOE standards will phase them out to push us towards using more efficient lamp and ballast combinations. You might look into stocking up on replacements, fluorescent lamp life is pretty good. Good Luck.

[Jerome Hanby]

I just took a peek at the Lowe's site and it looks like I can get a 4 bulb T8 ballast for about $20 a piece. Assuming that a T8 bulb will fit in a t12 2 pin socket (or at least fit the same length if Ii have to change out sockets), would it be worthwhile to upgrade these fixtures while I'm cleaning them up and buy all t8 bulbs?

[Buck Williams]

I looked on Sylvania's web-site and average lamp life on a 4' T12 lamp is 20,000 hours. You shouldn't have any problem getting 3-5 years out of the new lamps you are buying, especially since it sounds like you're not going to be running straight 40 hour weeks. Sorry, I didn't mean to rain on your parade, just wanted you to know that finding replacement lamps could be tough in the future. If you wanted to retrofit T8 and T12's use the same socket. Being cheap, I'd take the money and run, and assume your lighting will be OK for the short term, nice deal.