I can see again!

[12345678910]

When the fixtures are on sale, it's cheaper than replacing ballasts

I like the 6500K daylight colours

The T8's also seem to start better in the cold.

If you cover the ceiling in white, you will get better reflection too.
85%ish reflection from painted white surfaces.

[12345678910]

(09-22-2014, 01:05 PM)f350ca Wrote: Unfortunately I need the fixtures with no shades for the overhead crane to clear, and they never seem to go on sale.

Keep an eye on the TSC flyer, they come up a few times a year

[kenne]

(09-21-2014, 05:11 PM)TomG Wrote: Today's project was upgrading the horrific lighting in my shop. The old T12 fluorescent fixtures have slowly gotten dimmer over the years as my eyesight has gotten poorer to the point where it felt like I was working in a cave.

After a bit of research, I decided that switching to the newer T8 style bulb was the most logical option. The old 40 watt T12 bulbs used more energy but produced less light than the 32 watt T8's, especially with the aging ballasts in the fixtures, plus the newer technology in the T8's make colors more vivid in the light. The old T12 bulbs I was using had a color rendering index of 62, but the new T8's have a CRI of 82. A CRI of 80 or above makes the colors really pop. I also went to a bulb with a slightly higher color temperature of 5000K vs. the 4100K bulbs I was using. 5k is close to the color temperature of sunlight at noon.

I decided to go with two bulb fixtures with wrap around lenses to evenly distribute the light and solid state instant start ballasts. They were $29 at the Depot and the bulbs were about $4 ea. The fixtures are Lithonia 4 foot, 2 lamp wraps, #987210 and the bulbs are Phillips F32T8/TL850 Alro II's.

The results were startling. I wish I had taken a before and after shot, but believe me, it is like night and day. I can't believe that I waited so long to do the upgrade. Now I need to clean the shop because the clutter is much more apparent.

Tom

Looks great , I am convinced this will make things look better in my shop as well . Coarse , that may not be as good an idea as I thought , All of the things that are unfinished will show up more ....

[TomG]

(09-24-2014, 10:58 PM)kenne Wrote: Looks great , I am convinced this will make things look better in my shop as well . Coarse , that may not be as good an idea as I thought , All of the things that are unfinished will show up more ....

Yeah, I had to clean mine after putting the new lights in because the junk showed up so much better.

[bubby-joe]

Great another project mostly I just open the rollup door if i want to see but my retro 50's with a 60watt heats the whole shop yes it's that small. I'm waiting for led technology to catch up with my teeny tiny shop single layer metal roof makes big rain with snow on top covers on everything and sprayed oil on the rest.

[stevec]

 
" my retro 50's with a 60watt heats the whole shop "  Your retro 50's what?

" single layer metal roof makes big rain with snow on top covers on everything and sprayed oil on the rest. " Whaa?

Not trying to be a smart aleck, just can't understand.

[Mayhem]

Joe - you had better post pictures for Steve.

[Hawkeye]

Sounds to me like there is enough condensation on the underside of the metal roof when it has snow on it to rain inside the shop. Raincoats and oil for the machines.

[f350ca]

Still haven't upgraded my main lighting but recently tried the new LED replacement bulbs, looks pretty much like a regular light bulb. Think its an A19. Draws 9.8 watt and is supposed to be the equivalent to a 60 watt incandescent. They make the compact florescent ones look like a candle, had a regular 60 watt on the lathe light, tried one of these and its actually brighter, the daylight version giving a more blue light.
On sale and a $5 coupon from the feds brought the price to $3. They claim 25,000 hours life. For outside use they come on instantly unlike the glow in the dark florescent ones.

[TomG]

The Depot recently had a sale on Cree 65 watt flood LED's, so I bit the bullet and replaced all 10 of the CFL's in my basement ceiling fixtures. Even at $12 each, they will still pay for themselves in less than a year.

Tom