In article , Steve Huckaby wrote:
I have a fluorescent light in my kitchen with 2 - 40 watt bulbs.
The light is very dim. Always has been. I'd like to change this to a
brighter fluorescent light.
What should I look for?

If this fixture has one of those el-cheapo junky garbage trash
piece-of-$#!+ "residentail grade" ballasts, there is a good fix that is
easy enough if you are up to replacing the ballast - which is a fairly
simple fixture rewiring job.
Those pieces of dumpster food sometimes known as "residential grade"
ballasts can result in as little as about half the light you should get.

So what to do is go to an electrical/lighting shop of the kind that
contractors go to and buy a decent, or "commerical grade" ballast.

Better still, if you are going to replace the ballast, then you may as
well convert to T8 (1 inch diameter bulbs, and they will be 32 watt) as
opposed to T12 (1.5 inch diameter bulbs, generally 40 watt sometimes 34 or
35 watt). Both bulbs and ballasts are usually more efficient with T8
versions. In addition, you can get good color rendering for a fair price
with uncompromised light output.

Electronic ballasts for two F32 T8 "lamps" (bulbs) are available at home
centers as well as at electrical/lighting supply shops, although the
latter may be a little more helpful at making sure you get something good.

As for bulbs: F32T8 4-footers come in a few different colors and two
color rendering grades and color codes vary from one manufacturer to
another.

My favorite color is "3500K", and in color codes is abbreviated to 35.
This is a "semi warm white" (my words), somewhat halogenlike. It is
basically a "warm white" but not as orangish as usual "warm white".

The usual "regular white" or "cool white" is "4100K" or 41.

The lower color rendering grade of these, available at home centers, is
an improvement over the "old tech" fluorescents. GE has "SP" in its color
code for this, and others have a "7" for this, referring to color
rendering index in the upper 70's.

The higher color rendering grade is the good one. GE has "SPX" in its
color code and others have "8" in their color codes for this, referring to
color rendering index in the low to maybe mid 80's.
More good news - most color distortions of this one are in the direction
of making colors brighter and more vivid than "proper", as opposed to most
non-triphosphor fluorescents (of color rendering index anywhere from 53 to
low 90's) having their color distortions in the direction of making colors
darker and duller or otherwise "less vivid" than "proper". My biggest
complaint about this grade is that bright pure reds such as poinsettias
are rendered orangish compared to the way they are rendered by
incandescent, halogen, or sunlight.

Other colors available: 3000/30, "warm white"
5000/50, an icy cold pure white of color like
that of noontime tropical sunlight, sometimes
appears slightly bluish.

So I recommend looking for GE SPX35, Philips TL835 or ADV35, or Sylvania
D835 for my favored "semi warm white". For "regular cool white" I advise
looking for GE SPX41, Philips TL841 or ADV41 or Sylvania D841.

---------------------

Once you get your new bulbs and ballast and are ready to replace the old
ballast with the new one, pay attention to the wiring diagrams on the
ballasts! Good chance they are different! Have wire cutters and a few
wirenuts on hand!

----------------------

- Don Klipstein )