Replacing fluorescent fixtures

OK, I am no longer gonna buy those 7 or 8 dollar fixtures from the big box stores. I have some fixtures I bought 25 years ago and they are still fine. These cheepos work for the life of the bulb and that's it. So, I am looking for some reasonably priced shop type fixtures. 48" works good for me. Not the fancy ones. I know: google. That's good for about a bazillion hits or so. Just thought if someone knows a good place to buy them I would appreciate the help. It's getting darker in my shop...

Reply to
Charles Struble
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The cheapos are magnetic ballists. Buy the ones with solid state ballists which are more efficient, run cooler and last a lifetime. OR you can replace the ones in your existing fixtures with the solid state ballists which cost about $20 CAN.

Reply to
maico

Things are looking up in your neighborhood

Are you sure?

If you are serious, find a good industrial electrical distributor who has a lighting specialist on staff.

They can give you a lighting layout designed to meets your needs as well as local weather conditions.

Don't be surprised if they use 2 lamp, F96T12HO fixtures.

Won't be "cheap", as you define it, but the good stuff usually isn't.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I got a new case of electronic ballasts for less than half price on ebay. I then got the 7 dollar fixtures and changed them out as I put them up. Other than MY time I spent it was still half the cost of getting good fixtures and ballasts in one.

Reply to
Jody

Reply to
Arvid Sorsdahl

I bought the fixtures for my recessed lights from Grainger. The bulbs are the 6500 color temp. Nice and bright.

Max Combat Infantryman, Korea, '50-'51. Professional firefighter '53 - '86 Amateur tinkerer, welder, woodworker, photographer, RVer.

Reply to
Max

Thanks for the suggestions, ya'll. I'm gonna figure out which way to go, and soon, cuz it's gettin' kinda dark out there...

Reply to
Charles Struble

Did a post-mortem on a Lights of America cheapie double 40 watt fixture that kept blowing out after running 15 minutes. Scorched PC board underneath what looks like the voltage regulator chips (TO-220 power tab packages) tells everything. Poor heat dissipation due to bad design is what does them in. The plastic casing around the ballast traps heat. A sheet metal housing would conduct enough heat to prevent the regulators' thermal cutoffs from kicking in.

The only problem I've ever had with magnetic ballasts is an occasional slight hum from the ballast core. Hardly a big deal in a machine shop.

Reply to
Father Haskell

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