OT; Shop lights ballasts

On Tue, 24 Jul 2012 11:03:23 -0700, MJ wrote:


That's normal for cheap shop lights.  And it's usually cheaper to replace
the whole light than to buy a decent ballast.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

On Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:03:34 +0000 (UTC), Larry Blanchard


But then you still have a cheap ballast.

wrote:


Your ahead to pay extra for a commercial grade of fixture.  Ballasts
will last longer and generally have a better output.

Mike M

On 7/25/12 4:25 PM, Mike Marlow wrote:

We must be buying the same lights.  :-)
First batch didn't last 18 months.  This batch is going on several years.


--

  -MIKE-

  "Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
     --Elvin Jones  (1927-2004)
  --
  http://mikedrums.com
  mike@mikedrumsDOT.com
  ---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On Wed, 25 Jul 2012 11:07:36 -0700, Mike M


I too have had bad history with the fixtures from HD and Lowes.  I
didn't buy the real cheapies, but the next grade up.  I have 20+ of
them, 2 tube with reflectors, going on 3-4 years.  Half of them at
least have failed, and there are two dark now.

I read online that there was supposedly a "bad batch" of ballasts but
a couple of the replacement fixtures I bought more recently have also
failed.

My big gripe is the fixture manufacturer doesn't typically warrant the
ballast.  Dealing with the ballast manufacturer was an  exercise in
frustration.  

The other issue is knowing whether a fixture is commercial grade or
just more expensive.  For example, looking at grainger or McMaster,
one of them sells Lithonia, the same brand I bought at the Borg.  How
do I know it has a better grade of ballast?  They are 2-4x the price
but that's not a reliable indicator.  

I'm moving my shop to other side of basement and plan to put in new
fixtures.  I will be really, really pissed if I pay $80-100+ for 4
tube wrap fixtures and they don't last any longer than the borg
variety at less than half the price.

Anyone bought Lithonia from Mc-Granger and can report?

Paul F.

I'd ask around at some electrical supply shops what they have.
No, not at the Borg or any similar place, there's got to
be an electrical supply center in your city or close to it.

What you probably want are the "factory" or what I would
call "the pro" lights. They would go into a commercial building.

I looked at those lights on-line and found them to be
in the range you're talking about. You might ask around
some places where you know people and ask them about
their lights. Chances are they only have to replace the lights
so often and not the ballasts.

MJ

On Saturday, July 28, 2012 4:42:20 PM UTC-7, MJ wrote:

Bingo!  The local supply center that sells to electricians is likely
to have more and more current info than we web denizens,
and you'll have a top-notch ballast the same day.

I've liked Motorola ballasts, but brands and models change too
fast for anyone but the pros to have any good handle on quality.

[...snip...]

[...snip...]
I did a new workshop/garage install about 10 years ago; I bought 4' T8
shop lights from Home Depot with electronic ballasts. All of the
ballasts failed within about 18 months.

I replaced the ballasts with some Internet name brand like GE or
similar and have had no problems since. I think I was in the $12 range
for the new ballasts, so it was cheaper than buying new fixtures.

On Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:10:47 -0700, Jim Weisgram


ISTM that it's cheaper to buy lower cost fixtures then replace ballasts with
decent ones as they fail.  Buying a higher priced fixture doesn't necessarily
get a better ballast.