T-8 Fluorescent Shop Lights?

I gave up. Instead I bought cheap T-12 fixtures and swapped in good T-8 ballasts. It has worked out great.

Here's a snip from a post of mine from about a year ago:

shop lights came from the local Diamond Home Improvement store (OR. only) via American Fluorescent.

Another source is:

I just swapped in electronic ballasts, new sockets, and new T-8 bulbs into some T-12 fixtures for about around $25 each fixture. It would have cost about $5 to $10 more to get new fixtures, but I saw no reason to throw out all that steel.

Brian Elfert

I have never found any T-8 fixtures that were halfway decent that were = not (IMO) overpriced, so I usually make my own.

Some important lessons I learned in doing so were to make sure and get = universal replacement ballasts, most of these will run either T-8's or T-12's. The= reason for this is that when a manufacturer has to accommodate a broad range of tubes and= wattage they usually build them to the high end of the performance range which = translates into less flicker when cold, faster start etc. These ballasts are usually rated for= more quiet class p operation, no annoying buzzing. Interestingly enough, these ballasts = aren't usually any more expensive than standard replacements. (approx. 12$ @HD). Most = building centers also sell the "tombstone" end pieces for the bulbs as well. For a reflector I= use a piece of single wall furnace duct held at both ends with a wood half circle end = piece. I mount the ballast on top of the metal duct and split a piece of pvc pipe in = half and use it to cover the wires that run out to the ends (still on top of the ducting). = A little white or what ever your choice of color for the assembly, plus a couple of eye = bolts about 6" in from each end, add a cord and you are in business. I have also used the = carcasses from the cheap crap shop lights and added new tombstones and mounted the = ballast on top with good success. It will put an end to flickering, burned out bulbs = prematurely, and that buzzing for good. It seems to take about twice the time to describe how = to make one than it does to actually build one, let me know if you have any questions. I = just helped a friend build a single T-8 into an overhang above his built i9n bench = along a wall, he chose to use copper as a reflector, which also looked good. Hope this = helps, Joe. Joe Brophy CountryTech Computer email: snipped-for-privacy@spiretech.com

I read an interesting thread on a garden forum on overdriving cheap fluorescent shop lights using two ballasts in one two light fixture. The bulb life is not significantly shorter and the light output is equal to 3 bulbs. Very long and technical discussion with pictures a ways down the thread. I did it for my greenhouse and it worked quite well.

CR

opps, forgot the link.