Shop Light Problem

[Joe Lasch]

When I set up my shop a couple of years ago I went with T8 4' florescent lights for it. I bought the fixtures from the local Home Depot store. I have 14 fixtures in the shop, and within the first two years had to replace nearly all of them. Now, eight of them are out again. Seems like the starters keep burning out?
Just to answer the obvious, no, it's not the bulbs. The whole fixture is out. There are a couple that will still come on eventually at times, but don't light more often than they do. The fixtures had a two year warranty, and HD has replaced them for me up to this point, but I am getting tired of replacing them.
Is there something in my wiring set up that could be causing a problem? Or did I just get too cheap and buy a bunch of junk? I'm thinking of scraping the whole works and starting with a different brand, but would sure hate to find myself back in the same boat a year from now.

[Richard Niemiec]

I'll leave it to the electricians in the group to advise on any possible wiring issues, but I've gone totally "cheap" and use only the $7.95 specials from Lowes, HD, and now, the best of the bunch, Walmart!. These are the ones with a plug end, not hard wired. I added a couple lately and got them at Walmart, and the current supplier there makes an absolutely fabulous cheap light. I ran a set of quad outlets down the center of the shop and just plug em in. Never had one go bad and you can't beat the price. regards.rn

[Steven Wilson]

Went through that with HD a few years ago myself. I finally ripped them out, threw them in the trash, and bought real lights from a real lighting supply place. No more problems, no issues, just replace bulbs when needed. Home Depot, Menards, Lowes are very expensive "cheap" stores.

[Matt Meiser]

We have some in our basement and haven't had trouble, but I wonder if cold starting could be an issue--just speculation?

For my shop I went to a local lighting store and they designed a lighting layout for me with some commercial grade fixtures. Hurt when I bought them, but after 4 years I have no regrets. They start quick in the cold and lighting is never a problem in my shop.

[Joe Lasch]

These were supposed to be made for cold starting, although I do keep the shop heated to a minimum of about 50 in the winter - warmer when I'm out there.

Are there any good sources to order lighting fixtures online?

[mike wacker]

Joe, T8 fixtures do not have a starter per sea (sp). They have a ballast, Lamps, lamp holders and a fixture body. If you open one of the fixtures that are dead and read the Manufacturer and Model number of the ballast (the rectangular, probably black thingy with the wires coming out of it) I can probably better advise you on your next best step.

Most manufactures of electronic T8 ballsts guaranttee their ballasts for 5 years. Still a pain in the butt to change them, even if they are free. The Model Number should tell me but are this fixture two or Four lamp?

[David G Baker]

As an experiment prior to investing in T8 lights I purchased one 4' T8 from HD. It lasted about a month of very little use. I tried changing out the switch, didn't work. Researched the Internet for the possible cause, couldn't find an answer that didn't require replacing all of the guts. The dead light still hangs from my shop wall and 8 double bulb 8 foot T12s hang from the ceiling of my pole barn. They buzz like crazy and are a little dim when starting up on a cold day but they work. Checked with my local electric supply prior to investing in the T12s but they didn't carry any T8 commercial fixtures.
I do have a couple of 8' T8s still in the box in my basement that I am going to hang and add bulbs to with my fingers crossed hoping they work better than the HD 4 footer.

[Rob Will]

From what I have read and been told, the federal gov has pretty much made regular T12 bulbs obsolete. Look for all T12 (except for HO) to be replaced by T8.

All T8 fixtures have electronic ballasts that start cold (0 degrees F). Also, T8 will maintain the rated light output better than T12.

Rob

[Ryan Myers]

Sounds like you are using the inexpensive shop lights that don't have true electronic ballast. A decent quality twin lamp 4' fixture with a good electronic ballast such as a Magnatek, Universal, or Advanced will cost you about $30 each. And they do start down to 0 degrees.

Electronic ballasted fixtures must be well grounded, failure to ground can result in the fixture not cooperating to light.

[Clint Ragle]

From what I have read and been told, the federal gov has pretty much made regular T12 bulbs obsolete. Look for all T12 (except for HO) to be replaced by T8.

All T8 fixtures have electronic ballasts that start cold (0 degrees F). Also, T8 will maintain the rated light output better than T12.

Rob

When I installed lighting in my shop I went with the cheap HD fixtures, and yes they are very problematic. Not all but most T8 fixtures are rated for zero degree start, the cheap ones at HD are electronic ballast but are classified as RE, residential electronic, and do not perform well at all (this information came from a Lithonia factory rep that I deal with on a daily basis).

I am an electrical contractor (part time), but work for an engineering firm full time, designing electrical systems for buildings (this includes lighting design).

The Lithonia lighting rep told me the L 2 32 Lithonia fixture would be good inexpensive fixture to use for the shop, it is a commercial fixture and would not have the problems that the RE ballast has. While in HD the other day I noticed they sell Lithonia L2 32 fixtures for about $35 each, yes some what expensive, but may save some aggrivation.

For those out there not familiar with ballasts, 10 years ago changing a ballast was a pain, you had to pick a ballast based on several factors, voltage, lamps or bulbs (this included type T12..., length, number of lamps). Now most electronic ballasts are universal, meaning one ballast can fit about 70% of the applications. This should bring down the cost but of the fixture but it will make maintaining a fixture easier. BTW, most people in the electrical and lighting industry call them lamps not bulbs, because you plant bulbs in the ground.

[Jim O'Dell]

I've got several of the Home Depot T-8 fixtures that have been no problem, well, I do have one 8' 4 bulb unit that interferes with the stereo that I need to swap out. But it works when I turn it on. The brand I got there is Lithonia, IIRC. 4' 2 bulb units about 26.00, 8' 4 bulb units about 45.00. I've got some of each. I need some more fixtures in the future, and will not hesitate to get the same units. Jim.

[Rob Will]

When I installed lighting in my shop I went with the cheap HD fixtures, and yes they are very problematic. Not all but most T8 fixtures are rated for zero degree start, the cheap ones at HD are electronic ballast but are classified as RE, residential electronic, and do not perform well at all (this information came from a Lithonia factory rep that I deal with on a daily basis).

I am an electrical contractor (part time), but work for an engineering firm full time, designing electrical systems for buildings (this includes lighting design).

The Lithonia lighting rep told me the L 2 32 Lithonia fixture would be good inexpensive fixture to use for the shop, it is a commercial fixture and would not have the problems that the RE ballast has. While in HD the other day I noticed they sell Lithonia L2 32 fixtures for about $35 each, yes some what expensive, but may save some aggrivation.

For those out there not familiar with ballasts, 10 years ago changing a ballast was a pain, you had to pick a ballast based on several factors, voltage, lamps or bulbs (this included type T12..., length, number of lamps). Now most electronic ballasts are universal, meaning one ballast can fit about 70% of the applications. This should bring down the cost but of the fixture but it will make maintaining a fixture easier. BTW, most people in the electrical and lighting industry call them lamps not bulbs, because you plant bulbs in the ground.

Nope, in Kentucky seed goes in the ground, coal oil (kerosene) goes in lamps and electric light comes from a bulb. You need to check the germination on your light bulbs, I don't think it is going to work.

What did the Lithonia rep say about the phasing out of T12 except for T12HO? Do you see more new installations going to T8?

Rob

[Anthony Fields]

We have T8 3 bulb units in our Brick and Mortar. I've replaced about 6 ballasts out of 12 units in 10 years. Advance seemed to be the problems. The earlier ballasts, Made in Mexico. Other than that, *replacement of occasional ballast, I would say contact an electrican that is liscensed and understands your concerns.

The bulbs are dim when they start, yes. As they get warmed up they become pretty bright.


When did you replace the bulbs last? Do you use daylights or otherwise?

[Jim Thiel]

I've had nothing but excellent results with my lights from Menards. The sticker says American Fluorescence, they have an electronic ballast, and will fire t-8 or t-12 bulbs.

I bought them during one of the frequent "% off all lighting sale" (something like 17% or so). I use these fixtures for the shop, garage, and pull the guts for aquarium lighting.

I'm also in love with t-5 lights, having replaced all but three metal halides over my tanks.

Jim

[Gerald Eberhardt]

I have a couple of questions:

Is your shop heated?
Are you turning off the lights the end of the day and turning them on when it is cold?

Years ago in my fathers truck service shop they figured out that cycling the power on fluorescence bulbs would over stress them and cause them to fail. Once they wired them on 100% the replacement rate of the bulbs went from 1-2 years to over 5.

Since then I try to leave my garage shop lights on in the winter. But some times the wife turns them off, and guess what......bulb problems have returned!