T-8 Fluorescent Shop Lights?

Could you give me some more details on that, like what ballasts you
used and where you got them? Was it relatively cheap and easy to swap
them out? I'm assuming it would be cheaper than spending the $150 on
the high-bay fixtures....

Joe Wells wrote:
> On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 06:21:38 -0700, lance wrote:
>
> > I have been looking around on the net for T-8 hanging fluorescent shop
> > type lights, and am having no luck in finding any. I can find what things
> > similar to what I am looking for, but they are all T-12 like the one in
> > the link below. I can also find "high bay" T-8 hanging lights, also in a
> > link below, but I don't think these are quite right for a workshop in half
> > of a garage. Does anyone know of any resources for T-8 shop lights like
> > the one below from the BORG?
>
> I gave up. Instead I bought cheap T-12 fixtures and swapped in good T-8
> ballasts. It has worked out great.
>
> --
> -Joe Wells

Thanks! Your help is much appreciated.

Joe Wells wrote:
> On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 06:36:14 -0700, lance wrote:
>
> > Could you give me some more details on that, like what ballasts you used
> > and where you got them? Was it relatively cheap and easy to swap them
> > out? I'm assuming it would be cheaper than spending the $150 on the
> > high-bay fixtures....
>
> Here's a snip from a post of mine from about a year ago:
> ---
> Bought 10 of the Simkar WLD-4 shop lights ($20 each). These are the
> "mid-grade" shop lights at blue borg, but frankly still crap. But the
> shell is OK, and really all I needed. Found an inexpensive source
> (goodmart.com) for a solid T8 ballast (Sylvania QT2X32/120IS-SC) for $13
> per. Ordered up a box of 10 along with a box of 30 Sylvania
> FO32/835/XP/ECO lamps ($2.69 per).
>
> Dropped in the new ballasts and fired it up. It's just beautiful.
> Instant-on, very bright and the lamps are CRI 82 and 3500K, so they're
> reasonably close to incandescents. I am in shop light nirvana for under
> $35 each.
> ---
>
> A year later I've had no failures, not even a bad lamp thus far. I'm happy
> with the results.
>
> --
> -Joe Wells

"lance" <[email protected]> writes:

>Could you give me some more details on that, like what ballasts you
>used and where you got them? Was it relatively cheap and easy to swap
>them out? I'm assuming it would be cheaper than spending the $150 on
>the high-bay fixtures....

I just swapped in electronic ballasts, new sockets, and new T-8 bulbs into
some T-12 fixtures for about around $25 each fixture. It would have cost
about $5 to $10 more to get new fixtures, but I saw no reason to throw out
all that steel.

Brian Elfert

On 26 Jul 2005 06:21:38 -0700, "lance" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I have been looking around on the net for T-8 hanging fluorescent shop
>type lights, and am having no luck in finding any. I can find what
>things similar to what I am looking for, but they are all T-12 like the
>one in the link below. I can also find "high bay" T-8 hanging lights,
>also in a link below, but I don't think these are quite right for a
>workshop in half of a garage. Does anyone know of any resources for
>T-8 shop lights like the one below from the BORG?
>
>Normal T-12 Shop Lights
>http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?prod_id=3D=
163147&cm_mmc=3D1hd.com2msn-_-product_feed-_-D27X-_-163147&srccode=3Dcii_=
9686437&cpncode=3D08-544400-2
>
>
>High Bay T-8 Lights
>http://www.costlesslighting.com/acatalog/High_Bay_Fluorescent_Lights.htm=
l

I have never found any T-8 fixtures that were halfway decent that were =
not (IMO)
overpriced, so I usually make my own.

Some important lessons I learned in doing so were to make sure and get =
universal
replacement ballasts, most of these will run either T-8's or T-12's. The=
reason for this
is that when a manufacturer has to accommodate a broad range of tubes and=
wattage they
usually build them to the high end of the performance range which =
translates into less
flicker when cold, faster start etc. These ballasts are usually rated for=
more quiet class
p operation, no annoying buzzing. Interestingly enough, these ballasts =
aren't usually any
more expensive than standard replacements. (approx. 12$ @HD). Most =
building centers also
sell the "tombstone" end pieces for the bulbs as well. For a reflector I=
use a piece of
single wall furnace duct held at both ends with a wood half circle end =
piece. I mount
the ballast on top of the metal duct and split a piece of pvc pipe in =
half and use it to
cover the wires that run out to the ends (still on top of the ducting). =
A little white or
what ever your choice of color for the assembly, plus a couple of eye =
bolts about 6" in
from each end, add a cord and you are in business. I have also used the =
carcasses from
the cheap crap shop lights and added new tombstones and mounted the =
ballast on top with
good success. It will put an end to flickering, burned out bulbs =
prematurely, and that
buzzing for good. It seems to take about twice the time to describe how =
to make one than
it does to actually build one, let me know if you have any questions. I =
just helped a
friend build a single T-8 into an overhang above his built i9n bench =
along a wall, he
chose to use copper as a reflector, which also looked good. Hope this =
helps, Joe.
Joe Brophy
CountryTech Computer
email: [email protected]

On 26 Jul 2005 06:21:38 -0700, the opaque "lance"
<[email protected]> clearly wrote:

>I have been looking around on the net for T-8 hanging fluorescent shop
>type lights, and am having no luck in finding any. I can find what
>things similar to what I am looking for, but they are all T-12 like the
>one in the link below. I can also find "high bay" T-8 hanging lights,
>also in a link below, but I don't think these are quite right for a
>workshop in half of a garage. Does anyone know of any resources for
>T-8 shop lights like the one below from the BORG?
>
>Normal T-12 Shop Lights
>http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?prod_id=163147&cm_mmc=1hd.com2msn-_-product_feed-_-D27X-_-163147&srccode=cii_9686437&cpncode=08-544400-2

My electronically-ballasted, 0 degrees, instant-start, T-8 or T-12,
shop lights came from the local Diamond Home Improvement store (OR.
only) via American Fluorescent. www.lowes.com also carries AF
lighting.

Another source is:
http://www.prolighting.com/fixtures-indoor-fluorescent-industrial-strips.html

--
Gray Davis said "Vote for 'The Governator' or I'll be Back!"
--------------------------------------------------------
http://diversify.com Terminating the bad websites out there

opps, forgot the link.

http://www.geocities.com/overdrive_lights/



"CR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Joe Wells" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 06:21:38 -0700, lance wrote:
> >
> > > I have been looking around on the net for T-8 hanging fluorescent shop
> > > type lights, and am having no luck in finding any. I can find what
> things
> > > similar to what I am looking for, but they are all T-12 like the one
in
> > > the link below. I can also find "high bay" T-8 hanging lights, also
in
> a
> > > link below, but I don't think these are quite right for a workshop in
> half
> > > of a garage. Does anyone know of any resources for T-8 shop lights
like
> > > the one below from the BORG?
> >
> > I gave up. Instead I bought cheap T-12 fixtures and swapped in good T-8
> > ballasts. It has worked out great.
> >
> > --
> > -Joe Wells
>
> I read an interesting thread on a garden forum on overdriving cheap
> fluorescent shop lights using two ballasts in one two light fixture. The
> bulb life is not significantly shorter and the light output is equal to 3
> bulbs. Very long and technical discussion with pictures a ways down the
> thread. I did it for my greenhouse and it worked quite well.
>
> CR
>
>

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 06:21:38 -0700, lance wrote:

> I have been looking around on the net for T-8 hanging fluorescent shop
> type lights, and am having no luck in finding any. I can find what things
> similar to what I am looking for, but they are all T-12 like the one in
> the link below. I can also find "high bay" T-8 hanging lights, also in a
> link below, but I don't think these are quite right for a workshop in half
> of a garage. Does anyone know of any resources for T-8 shop lights like
> the one below from the BORG?

I gave up. Instead I bought cheap T-12 fixtures and swapped in good T-8
ballasts. It has worked out great.

--
-Joe Wells

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 06:36:14 -0700, lance wrote:

> Could you give me some more details on that, like what ballasts you used
> and where you got them? Was it relatively cheap and easy to swap them
> out? I'm assuming it would be cheaper than spending the $150 on the
> high-bay fixtures....

Here's a snip from a post of mine from about a year ago:
---
Bought 10 of the Simkar WLD-4 shop lights ($20 each). These are the
"mid-grade" shop lights at blue borg, but frankly still crap. But the
shell is OK, and really all I needed. Found an inexpensive source
(goodmart.com) for a solid T8 ballast (Sylvania QT2X32/120IS-SC) for $13
per. Ordered up a box of 10 along with a box of 30 Sylvania
FO32/835/XP/ECO lamps ($2.69 per).

Dropped in the new ballasts and fired it up. It's just beautiful.
Instant-on, very bright and the lamps are CRI 82 and 3500K, so they're
reasonably close to incandescents. I am in shop light nirvana for under
$35 each.
---

A year later I've had no failures, not even a bad lamp thus far. I'm happy
with the results.

--
-Joe Wells

"Joe Wells" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 06:21:38 -0700, lance wrote:
>
> > I have been looking around on the net for T-8 hanging fluorescent shop
> > type lights, and am having no luck in finding any. I can find what
things
> > similar to what I am looking for, but they are all T-12 like the one in
> > the link below. I can also find "high bay" T-8 hanging lights, also in
a
> > link below, but I don't think these are quite right for a workshop in
half
> > of a garage. Does anyone know of any resources for T-8 shop lights like
> > the one below from the BORG?
>
> I gave up. Instead I bought cheap T-12 fixtures and swapped in good T-8
> ballasts. It has worked out great.
>
> --
> -Joe Wells

I read an interesting thread on a garden forum on overdriving cheap
fluorescent shop lights using two ballasts in one two light fixture. The
bulb life is not significantly shorter and the light output is equal to 3
bulbs. Very long and technical discussion with pictures a ways down the
thread. I did it for my greenhouse and it worked quite well.

CR