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I need high levels of light in an unheated garage/shop. Incandesent light just doesn’t work.
During the warm parts of the year, cheap 4′ fluoro shoplights work just fine. Come fall/winter the light outputfalls off and the lights flicker when they do fire (as expected for a 50 degree fixture). The lights eventually fail when subjected to too much runtime below freezing.
Other than telling me to heat the shop, can anybody advise on cold temp running fluoros (pricing, availability)?
Thanks your time.
Regards, abh
Replies
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Hawk,
Sounds like you need high output fixtures and full wattage HO lamps. They will start down to -20 degrees, but be sure to get full wattage (110 watt) cold temp or low temp lamps. Lamps sell for about $5 at the big boxes, and fixture costs vary too much to quote a cost. Suggest you check with some lighting distributors for prices. If temperatures are normally near freezing I'd also suggest using an enclosed fixture as opposed to a bare lamp strip.
*Very interesting timing, I am up against exactly thesame problem in my new Barn. Here is what I have found out so far.Definitely needs High Output (HO) fixtures as Jack says. I have found two sources so far;Grainger (www.grainger.com) has Metalux part # IC296HO120V for $72 each. They are 8 footers. Bulbs seem to be $5-6. (go to their website and use the part number search)Home Depot(am I allowed to mentioned them on this board??) has a Simkar HO fixture last I checked it was about $55 each. I heard third hand from an electrician that the quality of flourescent fixtures varies quite a bit and you get what you pay for. I am a bit dubious about the Simkar at HD for obvious reasons. Sometime in the next couple of weeks I am going to stop in at the local electrical supply houses and seewhat they have to offer. If your still searching I'll let you know what I find. Maybe some of the experts can comment on how to distinguish good fixtures from bad? Let me know anything you discover, good luck.
*I put the Simkars in my shop. They work fine, but they buzz like bee hives. They also thump when I switch them on.
*I bought the 4' Metalux from Grainger w/T-8 electronic ballasts and 4100K bulbs. No buxx and they came on just fine this weekend when it was 24 outside and about 35 inside.I think Grainger has the lights on sale through 10/31.
*I bought mine at Lowes - not sure of the brand name. I've had them in an unheated shop for about two years. They are definitely HO, but they buzz like crazy, and when they come on in cold weather, they act like they aren't making good contact (dim light) until they warm up for a couple of minutes.
*I have 10 8' dual bulb HO fixtures in a 24x48 shop. Yes, they definitely work -- 'put out a ton a light, even when cold. Much better than cheapo shoplites.The fixtures are Lithonia brand; got them at HD. They were about $50 each. Using Philips brand 110 Watt HO tubes. They don't seem to buzz much more than any other flourescent fixture (easily drowned out by the radio).
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I need high levels of light in an unheated garage/shop. Incandesent light just doesn't work.
During the warm parts of the year, cheap 4' fluoro shoplights work just fine. Come fall/winter the light outputfalls off and the lights flicker when they do fire (as expected for a 50 degree fixture). The lights eventually fail when subjected to too much runtime below freezing.
Other than telling me to heat the shop, can anybody advise on cold temp running fluoros (pricing, availability)?
Thanks your time.
Regards, abh