8-foot fluorescent fixtures???

Feb 28, 2006 9 Replies

I'm looking for an 8-foot flush-mount decorative (as opposed to the shop versions) fluorescent lighting fixture for our kitchen. I can find plenty of 4-foot models in all kinds of different designs and finishes, but am having no luck on the 96" versions.



Do they exist, and if so, might anyone be kind enough to point me in the right direction - either on the web or otherwise?



Many thanks...



The longest I see here in the "extra long" category is 59 inches.

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Is there any reason why you can't just use two 4' lights and daisy chain them?

8' used to be available as T12 (1 1/2" dia) instant start (single large pin). Don't know about now. But the tubes are a real PITA to transport.

bud--

Check at the lighting store or an electrical supply house. The big box stores are not likely to have much.

While the 8 footers have advantages, remember that they also may pose some inconveniences like handling and changing lamps, finding the lamps you want. For example in a kitchen you want a lamp that will give good color quality to the food and finding those lamps in 8 foot lamps may be difficult.

I know you can get both "full-spectrum" and "warm white" in 8 footers.

Eight foot bulbs and fixtures were available 35 years ago. They have not become more common. I happen to have 8' bulbs, the ends for them and ballasts but not the complete fixture. Wish you lived close, I do not plan to use them and need the space. Not interested in trying to ship the bulbs.

Walt Conner

I was referring to the lamps not the fixtures. I doubt if the fixtures will become more common as they are not practical for most home uses (I do have them in my garage) and most people are just not going to consider them, but as lamp technology is improving for the smaller lamps, that same technology that is becoming more common for the smaller lamps should be come more common for the large ones as well.

The 8' fixtures are exclusivly commercial units. They used to be more efficient than the 4' ones, but are now worth replacing. Don't put any new ones in!!

Look to commercial units that use a 4' lamp, but can be linked together into long runs. This is quite common in larger buildings. Check

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and
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These are specifier fixture search engines.

RickR

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