I would like to hang a few 4 foot fluorescent shop lights. Preferred hanger
would be 1/2" conduit, vertical, of course. Is there a conduit fitting
available that can take the weight of the fixture (2 conduits each holding
half a fixture). I know that some of the old timers had 1/2" conduit
fittings that could be crimped on. All I can find today for conduit
fittings is the simple sleeve with the set screw. Afraid it might pull
loose.
Would like to go conduit instead of chain due to the cost of chain. Conduit
is VERY inexpensive compared to other alternatives.
Maybe I can get enough bite to put 1/2" NPT threads on the conduit???

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

That little tiny chain is only about $4 for a hundred feet at walmart.

--
Steve Barker


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:rGOdh.7173$bW2.6326@trndny04...
I would like to hang a few 4 foot fluorescent shop lights. Preferred
hanger would be 1/2" conduit, vertical, of course. Is there a conduit
fitting available that can take the weight of the fixture (2 conduits each
holding half a fixture). I know that some of the old timers had 1/2"
conduit fittings that could be crimped on. All I can find today for
conduit fittings is the simple sleeve with the set screw. Afraid it might
pull loose.
Would like to go conduit instead of chain due to the cost of chain.
Conduit is VERY inexpensive compared to other alternatives.
Maybe I can get enough bite to put 1/2" NPT threads on the conduit???

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
I would like to hang a few 4 foot fluorescent shop lights. Preferred
hanger would be 1/2" conduit, vertical, of course. Is there a
conduit fitting available that can take the weight of the fixture (2
conduits each holding half a fixture). I know that some of the old
timers had 1/2" conduit fittings that could be crimped on. All I can
find today for conduit fittings is the simple sleeve with the set
screw. Afraid it might pull loose.
Would like to go conduit instead of chain due to the cost of chain.
Conduit is VERY inexpensive compared to other alternatives.
Maybe I can get enough bite to put 1/2" NPT threads on the conduit???

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that the
weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and they
come on dim until they warm up.

"RayV" wrote in message
ps.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have
problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that the
weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and they
come on dim until they warm up.


Thanks for the suggestions. In my history (working at gas stations 40 plus
years ago) the 8 foot fixtures were the one's that always buzzed. Maybe
things have changed. I was thinking of buying the 4 foot T-11, or whatever,
higher end fixtures.
Comments on above encouraged and appreciated.
Ivan Vegvary

RayV wrote:
Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that the
weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and they
come on dim until they warm up.

I had a set of the cheap fluorescent ballasts that you would get from
Lowes or anywhere in else in my kitchen and garage for 24 years. I just
had to replace both of them last weekend. They go for $20 a piece a
Lowes for a 4' frame + ballast. YMMV

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
"RayV" wrote in message
ps.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have
problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that the
weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and they
come on dim until they warm up.


Thanks for the suggestions. In my history (working at gas stations 40 plus
years ago) the 8 foot fixtures were the one's that always buzzed. Maybe
things have changed. I was thinking of buying the 4 foot T-11, or whatever,
higher end fixtures.
Comments on above encouraged and appreciated.
Ivan Vegvary

Lowe's sells the 4' T-12 for 19.99 a piece. No buzzing or humming.
Startup fast..

Brian wrote:
Ivan Vegvary wrote:

"RayV" wrote in message
oups.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have
problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that the
weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and they
come on dim until they warm up.


Thanks for the suggestions. In my history (working at gas stations 40 plus
years ago) the 8 foot fixtures were the one's that always buzzed. Maybe
things have changed. I was thinking of buying the 4 foot T-11, or whatever,
higher end fixtures.
Comments on above encouraged and appreciated.
Ivan Vegvary


Lowe's sells the 4' T-12 for 19.99 a piece. No buzzing or humming.
Startup fast..

I have replaced more 8 footers than 4 footers, and ballasts also. The 4
footers are cost effective and you don't need a truck to buy bulbs.

no flourescents appreciate the cold.

I have about 18 quad four footers at work, and replaced about 2/3 of the
bulbs in 2003, and have about 6 or 8 bad bulbs right now, and I'll bet
they are the ones wehre I ran out of bulbs.


My garage at home has 9 lowe's 4 footers and they have wierd thing. If
you are standing there after you turn out the lights in the pitch dark,
you will see some of the fixtures flash about 5 or more seconds after
you turn the lights out.

my previous shop I had 10 sears 4 footers, circa 1988, and replaced the
bulbs for dimness after ~ten years, with no failures.

Brian wrote:

Lowe's sells the 4' T-12 for 19.99 a piece.

Who sells cheap T-8s?

Nick

wrote:
Brian wrote:

Lowe's sells the 4' T-12 for 19.99 a piece.

Who sells cheap T-8s?

Nick

I believe that I saw T-8 frame + ballast for $24,88 at Lowes last
weekend.

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
"RayV" wrote in message
ps.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have
problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation,
short ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that
the weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and
they come on dim until they warm up.


Thanks for the suggestions. In my history (working at gas stations
40 plus years ago) the 8 foot fixtures were the one's that always
buzzed. Maybe things have changed. I was thinking of buying the 4
foot T-11, or whatever, higher end fixtures.
Comments on above encouraged and appreciated.
Ivan Vegvary

The cheap ones, even the 8 foot cheap ones still buzz.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:hKYdh.4896$ne3.138@trndny03...

"RayV" wrote in message
ps.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have
problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that the
weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and they
come on dim until they warm up.


Thanks for the suggestions. In my history (working at gas stations 40
plus years ago) the 8 foot fixtures were the one's that always buzzed.
Maybe things have changed. I was thinking of buying the 4 foot T-11, or
whatever, higher end fixtures.
Comments on above encouraged and appreciated.
Ivan Vegvary




Regardless of what size tube (4 or 8 foot), get lights with _electronic_
ballasts, generally found in fixtures that use the smaller diameter T-8
lamp.

Electronic ballasts are less likely to buzz (tho' the cheap ones at Home
Cheapo do buzz) and they don't flicker because the operating frequency is so
high.

Bob M. wrote:
"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
news:hKYdh.4896$ne3.138@trndny03...

"RayV" wrote in message
ps.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have
problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..


Joseph is right. I have some cheap ones in my garage and now that the
weather is cold the buzzing is enough to drive you bonkers and they
come on dim until they warm up.


Thanks for the suggestions. In my history (working at gas stations 40
plus years ago) the 8 foot fixtures were the one's that always buzzed.
Maybe things have changed. I was thinking of buying the 4 foot T-11, or
whatever, higher end fixtures.
Comments on above encouraged and appreciated.
Ivan Vegvary




Regardless of what size tube (4 or 8 foot), get lights with _electronic_
ballasts, generally found in fixtures that use the smaller diameter T-8
lamp.

Electronic ballasts are less likely to buzz (tho' the cheap ones at Home
Cheapo do buzz) and they don't flicker because the operating frequency is so
high.

The cheap T-12 4' frame + ballast is an ESB. No buzzing Only 19.99..
I swear by them. Lasted me 24 years ... no joke

Thus spake Ivan Vegvary:

I would like to hang a few 4 foot fluorescent shop lights. Preferred hanger
would be 1/2" conduit, vertical, of course.

Common sense and electrical building code would suggest that it's not safe to
have conduit carry the load. Conduit is strictly for protecting the wires
and, sometimes, providing a ground path.

Use chain or down-rods, as suggested by others. Once hung, use flexible,
armored cable for electric supply.
--
DaveC

This is an invalid return address
Please reply in the news group

DaveC wrote:

Thus spake Ivan Vegvary:

I would like to hang a few 4 foot fluorescent shop lights. Preferred hanger
would be 1/2" conduit, vertical, of course.

Common sense and electrical building code would suggest that it's not safe to
have conduit carry the load. Conduit is strictly for protecting the wires
and, sometimes, providing a ground path.

Use chain or down-rods, as suggested by others. Once hung, use flexible,
armored cable for electric supply.

Certainly better but does he really mean conduit or is he referring to
EMT? If conduit (the thickness of water pipe but not water pipe) I
can't see why it wouldn't be adequate. Another alternative is to use
tubing specifically designed for the purpose. Google "Grand Brass" for
lots of choices. Or, if you don't like that use ceiling-fan support
tubing which would be easier to obtain.

In article ,
says...
Ivan Vegvary wrote:
I would like to hang a few 4 foot fluorescent shop lights. Preferred
hanger would be 1/2" conduit, vertical, of course. Is there a
conduit fitting available that can take the weight of the fixture (2
conduits each holding half a fixture). I know that some of the old
timers had 1/2" conduit fittings that could be crimped on. All I can
find today for conduit fittings is the simple sleeve with the set
screw. Afraid it might pull loose.
Would like to go conduit instead of chain due to the cost of chain.
Conduit is VERY inexpensive compared to other alternatives.
Maybe I can get enough bite to put 1/2" NPT threads on the conduit???

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

Hint, most all 4 foot units you will find will be cheaply made.
Consider the 8 foot jobs and buy quality. All the cheap ones have problems
of noise, less efficiency, lamp life, cold temperature operation, short
ballast life, etc..

I bought a pair of 4 foot shop lights a few years ago at Home Depot
with electronic ballast that don't make a sound, are plenty
efficient, excellent lamp life, and no problems in sub-zero temps.
They are also instant on, which is kind of nice. I bought these to
replace the old, buzzy, summer only units I had in my garage. I
replaced the tubes in those twice a year.