"Sean" wrote in message
...
One other question while on the topic of replacing ballasts and
fluorescent lights....
I am remodelling an empty unit to make a bookstore and they currently have
about fifteen to twenty 8 foot double tube lights throughout the store.
(The store is about 2500 square feet.)
I am considering replacing them all with about 50% more 4 foot units. (So
about 22 - 30 units.)
I am considering doing this mostly due to the high price of 8' tubes and
ballasts. (In this part of Canada the 4' tubes go for about $1.40, while
the 8' go for about $6-$7). Also the ballasts for the 8' bulbs costs about
$30, whereas I can get a whole 4' unit for about that price. ($20 for a
cheaper one that will probably break down in a few years, $30 - $35 for
one that will hopefully last.)
So there are actually two questions:
1) Will I retain a similar amount of light from replacing those units? (I
know that their will be a small drop in light, but I just wanted to know
how noticeable it would be? Or should I just double the number of 8' units
and achieve near the same amount of light?)
2) Is it going to be cost effective over 10 -15 years to replace all these
units? (Or am I wasting a lot of money trying to avoid spending $6 - $7 on
the 8' tubes and $30 on a few new ballasts to replace the 3 or 4 that are
burnt out?)
Thanks for reading this long post, and for any answers or suggestions.
Sean.


SNIP


Sean.

It sounds like there are some other questions that ought to be asked. Don't
you want to know:

1. What kind of lighting should I have to sell the most books?
2. How can I get that lighting for the least cost over the next 10-15
years?

Given that you're thinking about cost effectiveness over the next 10-15
years, it isn't the tube cost or even the fixture cost that is going to
impact you over time; it's the cost of energy (even if you have a 5 cent
hydro rate). For every dollar you spend for lighting over those years, 90
cents or more will be for electricity and that includes the cost of lamps,
fixtures and even the cost of money should you have to borrow to install the
lighting.

At least go to a local electrical distributor and talk to the lighting
specialist (call around until you find a distributor that has one). As a
business, you should get at least a contractor price on lamps and fixtures.
Or consider hiring a lighting designer to do the job. It's a rare designer
who can't save your his/her fee on a job like this just by recommending the
most cost effective solution.

Terry McGowan