Garage lighting - easy upgrade option

[Bunky]

I did an ONR wash in the garage a couple weeks ago and noticed the difference in lighting in the "after" pictures. It was around 50 to 55 F in the garage with lights warmed up, etc.

I have 4 fixtures (2 tubes each) in the ceiling - 2 banks in front half, 2 nearest garage door. There is a floor beam across the middle parallel to the garage door not shown. These are T12 fixtures.

The fixture nearest the garage door are daylight tubes I added last when I added the additional lighting.

You can tell by shadows of the car that the rear lights nearest the door are brighter as well as better color. Or, at least the camera use a white balance closer to daylight.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6849051149_df2f9c8fce_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/37800563@N07/6849051149/)

Time to upgrade the others.

[Finemess]

Al, have you played around with the tubes? Maybe put one of each type in all fixtures to balance lighting.

[CEE DOG]

Looking really great Al! She looks happy :)

[FUNX650]

It is so nice to have well-lighted work/garage areas, like yours!

:)

Bob

[C. Charles Hahn]

Al, have you played around with the tubes? Maybe put one of each type in all fixtures to balance lighting.

I've tried that before... doesn't work too well. Better to stick with one uniform lamp type.

[Setec Astronomy]

You realize that fluorescent tubes have a falloff in light output as they age (T12 more than T8's), so some of your difference may just be that your newer lights are newer.

[Bunky]

Al, have you played around with the tubes? Maybe put one of each type in all fixtures to balance lighting.

I was looking at using more but it seems the some ballasts do not like the 75W bulbs.


Looking really great Al! She looks happy :)

Thanks.


It is so nice to have well-lighted work/garage areas, like yours!

It is not that well lit as the image shows. The shot is slightly over exposed but the purpose was show the difference. I always considered the garage side the dimmer side but that is because I usually work with the door open so the door blocks the back 2 lamps.


I've tried that before... doesn't work too well. Better to stick with one uniform lamp type.

I did try some of the 75W T12's in other fixtures and they do not start so the ballasts are not doing well.


You realize that fluorescent tubes have a falloff in light output as they age (T12 more than T8's), so some of your difference may just be that your newer lights are newer.

Yes but the some of the lamps in the front 4 are the same age as the back for. The daylight bulbs are the real difference.

I will likely end up upgrading these to T8's with new fixtures. The cost of ballasts are not much less than a new fixture.

The reports I see is that some brand T8's have issues with ballast life, etc.

[Setec Astronomy]

The reports I see is that some brand T8's have issues with ballast life, etc.

You know, the old electromagnetic ballasts, of course some of them would conk out after 10 years but some of them would go 40+...so you figure the electronic ones which should run cool, etc., would last forever, but I understand you shouldn't expect more than 10 years out of them...what the heck? I had an electrician try and talk me out of strip fluorescents in favor of a lot of screw in fixtures with CFL's...the advantage being no ballasts to replace and I can change the wattage whenever I want.

[Bunky]

You know, the old electromagnetic ballasts, of course some of them would conk out after 10 years but some of them would go 40+...so you figure the electronic ones which should run cool, etc., would last forever, but I understand you shouldn't expect more than 10 years out of them...what the heck?

I had also read one tip suggesting that you should be a spacer between surface mounts lights and the surface to allow the ballast to cool better.

[Setec Astronomy]

The guy I was talking to also pointed out that frequent on/off kills the ballasts--so it may not make much difference in the garage if the in/out lighting is different from the "work" lighting which doesn't get used all the time, or at least is on for long periods.

[C. Charles Hahn]

The cost of ballasts are not much less than a new fixture.

Interesting; I found the cost of upgrading ballasts to be roughly half the cost of new fixtures when I did mine a little over a year ago. Plus the new fixtures were made of thinner sheet metal than my existing ones.

[Bunky]

Interesting; I found the cost of upgrading ballasts to be roughly half the cost of new fixtures when I did mine a little over a year ago. Plus the new fixtures were made of thinner sheet metal than my existing ones.

What I said was not correct. I was looking at some special T8 ballasts. It looks like you can get T8 ballasts for around $20.

[Setec Astronomy]

If you are changing ballasts/fixtures on a larger scale, the cost savings of changing the fixtures over just the ballasts comes from the labor savings of less wiring per fixture. Also on that larger scale (office building) the new fixtures may take advantage of better optics or use 3 bulbs vs. 4 for better efficiency due to the T8 characteristics.

None of which is probably relevant in your home garage.

[C. Charles Hahn]

What I said was not correct. I was looking at some special T8 ballasts. It looks like you can get T8 ballasts for around $20.

Special ballasts?

What I bought at Home Depot were $15 each; wouldn't be surprised if the price has gone up slightly though.


If you are changing ballasts/fixtures on a larger scale, the cost savings of changing the fixtures over just the ballasts comes from the labor savings of less wiring per fixture. Also on that larger scale (office building) the new fixtures may take advantage of better optics or use 3 bulbs vs. 4 for better efficiency due to the T8 characteristics.

None of which is probably relevant in your home garage.

Agreed. It only took me roughly 15 minutes per fixture to remove the old ballast and install/wire the new one (and part of that time was spent cleaning dust off of and out of the fixtures), but that would have added up really quickly if I'd been doing more than the 6 I had to retrofit.