Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents with
something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux for a
while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires conduit
everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was at the borg
and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking they would be
nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents.
Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did like about them
is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be
good.... TIA, Mark

"mark" wrote in message
...
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents
with something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux for
a while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires conduit
everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was at the
borg and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking they would
be nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents.
Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did like about
them is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would
be good.... TIA, Mark

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The more,
the better.

"mark" wrote in message
...
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right
now. I need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the
flourescents with something else brighter. Since the machine layout
will be in flux for a while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local
code requires conduit everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for
ceiling cans. I was at the borg and picked up a couple of GE 24"
halogen fixtures, thnking they would be nice and bright. I was dead
wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents. Probably good for a small
area at best. The one thing I did like about them is they are
linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be good....
TIA, Mark


Mark,

Replace your existing fixtures with ones that take the T8 bulbs. They
are twice as bright as regular fluorescents for about the same cost.
You may not have to add any more fixtures either - I didn't. Another
advantage is that they don't flicker when the temp is cold.

Bob S.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:51:31 -0600, "mark" wrote:

Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents with
something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux for a
while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires conduit
everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was at the borg
and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking they would be
nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents.
Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did like about them
is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be
good.... TIA, Mark



I have eight 4' flourescent fixtures with reflectors. I drilled a
hole every 8" along the edges of the reflectors and fastened hardware
cloth to the reflectors. This prevents a swinging 2x4 from hitting a
tube, yet easy to replace a tube. I installed electrical outlets on
the ceiling--each oulet has an extra outlet for future units if
needed. The chains holding the lamps allow you to move the light as
needs change. I wired my ceiling outlets to a bank of wall switches
near the shop door. I'm very fortunate to have windows in my
basement shop, great for sharpening. Still, I have adjustable
incandescent task lamps near my bandsaw, drill press, lathe, miter
saw, putting concentrated light near the cut. As I got older I
needed more light.

Bob S. wrote:
"mark" wrote in message
...
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right
now. I need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the
flourescents with something else brighter. Since the machine layout
will be in flux for a while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local
code requires conduit everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for
ceiling cans. I was at the borg and picked up a couple of GE 24"
halogen fixtures, thnking they would be nice and bright. I was dead
wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents. Probably good for a small
area at best. The one thing I did like about them is they are
linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be good....
TIA, Mark


Mark,

Replace your existing fixtures with ones that take the T8 bulbs. They
are twice as bright as regular fluorescents for about the same cost.
You may not have to add any more fixtures either - I didn't. Another
advantage is that they don't flicker when the temp is cold.

Bob S.

And they don't buzz and fizz. I changed over my main shop to T8 and
now I hate to turn on the lights in the storage room which is still t12.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Social Security: World's biggest Ponzi Scheme.

Lee Michaels wrote:

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The more,
the better.

As a fellow basement dweller, I concur.

The big problem with basement is ceiling height. With a low ceiling,
you need far more fixtures per square foot, as the light doesn't get
much chance to spread out.

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The more,
the better.


I agree with the fluorescents. You can put different color temperature
tubes in, (instead of the stock ones that give everything that pukey
green tint) which will give you much better results when staining.

However, I recommend not going with the $8-11 garage fixtures. The
ballasts last about a year and can not be replaced. At minimum, buy a
fixture in which the ballast can be replaced. You should be able to
find $15-18 fixtures with ballast replacement under 10 dollars. The
ballasts will last at least a few years, and the fixture is stronger
than tin foil.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Lee Michaels wrote:

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The
more, the better.

As a fellow basement dweller, I concur.

The big problem with basement is ceiling height. With a low ceiling, you
need far more fixtures per square foot, as the light doesn't get much
chance to spread out.

Incentive to spread some white paint around. It always amazes me how that
helps.

Ed

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The
more, the better.


I agree with the fluorescents. You can put different color temperature
tubes in, (instead of the stock ones that give everything that pukey green
tint) which will give you much better results when staining.

However, I recommend not going with the $8-11 garage fixtures. The
ballasts last about a year and can not be replaced. At minimum, buy a
fixture in which the ballast can be replaced. You should be able to find
$15-18 fixtures with ballast replacement under 10 dollars. The ballasts
will last at least a few years, and the fixture is stronger than tin foil.


--

-MIKE-


Man, I found those *great* $8.99 fixtures at Home Depot and put them up in
my unheated shop. (Maryland so it's been a bit chilly for a while now.)
The worst $60 I've spent for quite some time. Cold I could deal with...
but cold and flickering lights is a bit stiff.

Ed

Ed Edelenbos wrote:


"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Lee Michaels wrote:

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The
more, the better.

As a fellow basement dweller, I concur.

The big problem with basement is ceiling height. With a low ceiling,
you need far more fixtures per square foot, as the light doesn't get
much chance to spread out.

Incentive to spread some white paint around. It always amazes me how
that helps.

Ed

I'm smack in the middle of that very thing right now. I'm not even a
third of the way done and it's already making a huge difference.

--
"Our beer goes through thousands of quality Czechs every day."
(From a Shiner Bock billboard I saw in Austin some years ago)
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

Ed Edelenbos wrote:



"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Lee Michaels wrote:

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The
more, the better.

As a fellow basement dweller, I concur.

The big problem with basement is ceiling height. With a low ceiling, you
need far more fixtures per square foot, as the light doesn't get much
chance to spread out.

Incentive to spread some white paint around. It always amazes me how that
helps.

Ed

What he said, basement or any other shop -- white walls make a HUGE
difference in ambient light, and frankly ambience as well. Much more
cheerful and inspiring than gray cement or bare studs

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:15:33 -0500, Gerald Ross cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:

Bob S. wrote:
"mark" wrote in message
...
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right
now. I need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the
flourescents with something else brighter. Since the machine layout
will be in flux for a while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local
code requires conduit everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for
ceiling cans. I was at the borg and picked up a couple of GE 24"
halogen fixtures, thnking they would be nice and bright. I was dead
wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents. Probably good for a small
area at best. The one thing I did like about them is they are
linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be good....
TIA, Mark


Mark,

Replace your existing fixtures with ones that take the T8 bulbs. They
are twice as bright as regular fluorescents for about the same cost.
You may not have to add any more fixtures either - I didn't. Another
advantage is that they don't flicker when the temp is cold.

Bob S.

And they don't buzz and fizz. I changed over my main shop to T8 and
now I hate to turn on the lights in the storage room which is still t12.

Both of those "advantages" are a function of the newer light fixture and
bulb than they are of the T8 size.

--

-Mike-

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:51:31 -0600, mark cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:

Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents with
something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux for a
while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires conduit
everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was at the borg
and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking they would be
nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents.
Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did like about them
is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be
good.... TIA, Mark

Where do you live that requires conduit for a simple lighting run in a
basement? What a pain.

I'd just hang some more florescents. You can get different heat ranges
that will provide much better light - just look at the bulbs in your local
Borg.

--

-Mike-

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:21:56 -0600, -MIKE- cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The more,
the better.


I agree with the fluorescents. You can put different color temperature
tubes in, (instead of the stock ones that give everything that pukey
green tint) which will give you much better results when staining.

However, I recommend not going with the $8-11 garage fixtures. The
ballasts last about a year and can not be replaced. At minimum, buy a
fixture in which the ballast can be replaced. You should be able to
find $15-18 fixtures with ballast replacement under 10 dollars. The
ballasts will last at least a few years, and the fixture is stronger
than tin foil.

I have often recommended the $8 shop fixture from Home Depot. It has a 0
degree C ballast, and the ballast is easily changed if you were so
inclined. I've had them hanging for a couple of years now and they've
outlived the $35 fixtures I had in my garage. I have a furnace in my
garage so it never gets much colder than around 40 F or so, and my Borg
shop lights fire up immediately in those temps. No flicker, no buzz. I
have 15 of them hanging in my garage, so it's not likely that I just got a
couple of good ones.

I was never able to find any ballasts for under $10, even though people say
they have. Typically considerably more than that. At $8 for the whole
fixture, it's kind of hard to beat the price.
--

-Mike-

On Jan 11, 6:55*pm, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:

Man, I found those *great* $8.99 fixtures at Home Depot and put them up in
my unheated shop. * (Maryland so it's been a bit chilly for a while now..)
The worst $60 I've spent for quite some time. *Cold I could deal with....
but cold and flickering lights is a bit stiff.


But isn't the endless buzzzzing kind of relaxing...

"Bob S." wrote in message
...


Replace your existing fixtures with ones that take the T8 bulbs. They are
twice as bright as regular fluorescents for about the same cost. You may
not have to add any more fixtures either - I didn't. Another advantage is
that they don't flicker when the temp is cold.

Bob S.





Something else to consider, CLEAN the existing bulbs, if they are dusty a
lot of light is being blocked.

"Limp Arbor" wrote in message
...
On Jan 11, 6:55 pm, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:

Man, I found those *great* $8.99 fixtures at Home Depot and put them up
in
my unheated shop. (Maryland so it's been a bit chilly for a while now.)
The worst $60 I've spent for quite some time. Cold I could deal with...
but cold and flickering lights is a bit stiff.


But isn't the endless buzzzzing kind of relaxing...



If it was a constant 60hz I could probably get used to it. The un-ending
buzz---buzz---buzz--- of attempting to start (on up to 3 fixtures at a
time) combined with the flickering is just downright dangerous with blades
flying around. (grin)

Ed (not ready for "Stumpy" as a nickname)

Whatever you do for additional lighting, also consider making the walls
and ceiling lighter in color to reflect more light.
I have a long, narrow shop. It has 5 2 tube 4' flourescents running
down the middle. And then, along each edge of the room, 4 more of
them. The main light switches (3 ways, at each door) turns on the
middle section and separate switches turn on the lights on each edge of
the shop. The whole shop is painted white.
Even with all that, I still do have task lights (incandescent) at the
lathe and the scroll saw.

Just a note on height: This shop has 9 foot ceilings. But I still
didn't want the lamps in the way if I'm standing up an 8 foot sheet of
something, so instead of the chains that hold the fixtures up, I screwed
them right to the ceiling (with a 1" spacer).

This set up works quite well.

Pete Stanaitis
----------------

mark wrote:
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents with
something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux for a
while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires conduit
everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was at the borg
and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking they would be
nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents.
Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did like about them
is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be
good.... TIA, Mark

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:22:58 -0500, Ed Edelenbos cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:

"Limp Arbor" wrote in message
...
On Jan 11, 6:55 pm, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:

Man, I found those *great* $8.99 fixtures at Home Depot and put them up
in
my unheated shop. (Maryland so it's been a bit chilly for a while now.)
The worst $60 I've spent for quite some time. Cold I could deal with...
but cold and flickering lights is a bit stiff.


But isn't the endless buzzzzing kind of relaxing...



If it was a constant 60hz I could probably get used to it. The un-ending
buzz---buzz---buzz--- of attempting to start (on up to 3 fixtures at a
time) combined with the flickering is just downright dangerous with blades
flying around. (grin)

Ed (not ready for "Stumpy" as a nickname)

Man - I can't believe you guys are having these problems with them. I have
none of those problems. Hell - I'm tickled pink with them - far better
than the much more expensive ones I had purchased prior to them.

--

-Mike-

What is the purpose of the 1" spacer?

SteveP.

"spaco" wrote in message
.. .
But I still didn't want the lamps in the way if I'm standing up an 8 foot
sheet of something, so instead of the chains that hold the fixtures up, I
screwed them right to the ceiling (with a 1" spacer).

This set up works quite well.

Pete Stanaitis
----------------

mark wrote:
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now.
I need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents
with something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux
for a while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires
conduit everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was
at the borg and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking
they would be nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my
flourescents. Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did
like about them is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and
linkable would be good.... TIA, Mark

Highland Pairos wrote:
What is the purpose of the 1" spacer?

Airflow to dissipate heat.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

looking at replacing the flourescents with something else brighter.

As I age, I can appreciate the need for strong lighting in the shop.

What I and my buddy have done is to paint the place white - walls and
ceilings - high gloss "Ultra White" from HD, then we went with the
fluorescents you are ready to replace.

John went with the eight-foot two-bulb fixtures, I went with the cheap
($8.79) "Shoplights" from HD or Lowes. In either case, replacing the
fixture is about the same price (8ft) or cheaper (4ft) than replacing
the ballasts when they go.

Transporting the eight-footers is a bit much, I think, and they need
to be "wired-in."

The shoplights come with a power cord that allows for simply plugging
in the fixture and hanging it upon a couple of screw eyes (or a bent
nail and this makes it easy to re-arrange the position of the
fixture should your first educated guess prove to be off a few cm.

You can use the current location of your power outlets as a guide, but
I went with a uniform "string of fixtures about six-foot on center in
each direction (lengthwise - widthwise) to locate the duplex outlets
in my ceiling and wired one side Hot and the other switched. Using
X-10 outlets, one could easily control area lighting in a large shop
with this approach and I have done that as well in one shp which has
two "sections" so as not to waste power but still allow one of the
"three-way" switches to control the lighting (and charging station)
circuit. THis circuit also controls power to the compressor so it
doesn't recharge at three AM and wake the wife to wake me to go shut
it off!

So, I say "stay with fluorescents- just add more of them!

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:38:48 -0500, Highland Pairos cast forth these pearls
of wisdom...:

What is the purpose of the 1" spacer?

SteveP.

"spaco" wrote in message
.. .
But I still didn't want the lamps in the way if I'm standing up an 8 foot
sheet of something, so instead of the chains that hold the fixtures up, I
screwed them right to the ceiling (with a 1" spacer).

This set up works quite well.

Pete Stanaitis
----------------

mark wrote:
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now.
I need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents
with something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux
for a while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires
conduit everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was
at the borg and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking
they would be nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my
flourescents. Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did
like about them is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and
linkable would be good.... TIA, Mark

To allow the ballast to cool. Most ballasts cannot be mounted directly to
a surface - they need airflow.

--

-Mike-

"ballasts last about a year and can not be replaced"

his has NOT been my personal experience on two counts.

FIrst, I have cheap shop lights that have lasted over six years (and
some that did not - see below).

Second, you can replace the balasts in these fixtures - but the cost
of the replacement is often half again or even twice the price of a
replacement fixture. Add to this the fact that replacing the ballast
involves removing the hanging fixture to the bench, opening it,
cutting wires, adding wire nuts to connect the new ballast,
reassembling and then re-hanging the fixture it makes no sense to
replace the ballast even if the cost is a bit less than a new
shoplight.

PS: For those that "quit" prematurely, I have a great solution. I save
the cartons they come in. Just need to save one carton of each brand.
Then, if it quits, I simply return it and exchange it for a new one.
If they have changed the packaging (they do from time to time to
frustrate such returns), just buy a new one, slip the old one in the
new box and return that one.

They (retailers) know that a significant percentage of this Chinese
stuff newer saw a QC test and count on the customer to accept the
premature failure and buy a new one while calculating a higher
"Returns & Allowances" factor in determining their "Markup." to
account for the high crap rates.

Man, I found those *great* $8.99 fixtures at Home Depot and put them up in
my unheated shop. * (Maryland so it's been a bit chilly for a while now..)
The worst $60 I've spent for quite some time. *Cold I could deal with....
but cold and flickering lights is a bit stiff.



Ed:

Take 'em back, demand a refund or try exchanging them if they are not
all "Finicky" in the cold. I changed out a couple that did that - they
are not all flickering in my case. Could be you got a bad lot. If you
got 'em from Lowes, return them and get a set from Wal-Mart, or HD.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:21:51 -0500, B A R R Y wrote:

Lee Michaels wrote:

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The more,
the better.

As a fellow basement dweller, I concur.

The big problem with basement is ceiling height. With a low ceiling,
you need far more fixtures per square foot, as the light doesn't get
much chance to spread out.

Sort of a double edge sword though, Barry...
My problem with fluorescent is that if you have high ceilings (mine are 10') the
fluorescents diffuse... probably the wrong word?.. more than incandescent..

I've dropped some of my T-8 fixtures down a couple of feet and they're much more
effective..
OTOH, I also have 2 or 3 goose neck lamps with incandescent "true color" bulbs,
for when I want to see details when sanding and such..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:52:22 -0500, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:



"B A R R Y" wrote in message
. ..
Lee Michaels wrote:

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The
more, the better.

As a fellow basement dweller, I concur.

The big problem with basement is ceiling height. With a low ceiling, you
need far more fixtures per square foot, as the light doesn't get much
chance to spread out.

Incentive to spread some white paint around. It always amazes me how that
helps.

Ed

yep.. I also like mirrors, though they're a bitch to keep dusted..
I have several 18" x 30" mirrors from a garage sale and have them mounted high
on walls and angles to reflect light towards the lathes and such..
Even one mirror makes quite a bit of difference..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

I would reccomend mutiple floursecents. They are cool and cheap. The more,
the better.

I agree with the fluorescents. You can put different color temperature
tubes in, (instead of the stock ones that give everything that pukey
green tint) which will give you much better results when staining.

However, I recommend not going with the $8-11 garage fixtures. The
ballasts last about a year and can not be replaced. At minimum, buy a
fixture in which the ballast can be replaced. You should be able to
find $15-18 fixtures with ballast replacement under 10 dollars. The
ballasts will last at least a few years, and the fixture is stronger
than tin foil.

I have often recommended the $8 shop fixture from Home Depot. It has a 0
degree C ballast, and the ballast is easily changed if you were so
inclined. I've had them hanging for a couple of years now and they've
outlived the $35 fixtures I had in my garage. I have a furnace in my
garage so it never gets much colder than around 40 F or so, and my Borg
shop lights fire up immediately in those temps. No flicker, no buzz. I
have 15 of them hanging in my garage, so it's not likely that I just got a
couple of good ones.

I was never able to find any ballasts for under $10, even though people say
they have. Typically considerably more than that. At $8 for the whole
fixture, it's kind of hard to beat the price.

Well, you've certainly had a different experience than me. For the last
9 years, I changed out those cheap ones, like they're disposable. None
lasted more than 2 years, some less than a year. The ballasts were
twice as much as the fixtures. When I did open one up, I found all the
ballast parts scattered in the fixture housing, all attached in a
different manner, with wiring all tangled and soldered.

The ballasts for the $15 fixture is one a self contained metal housing
and can be changed with one screw and a few wire nuts, without
disassembling or un-mounting the fixture. Another $18 light had an
integrated plug.. the ballast could be changed quicker than two tubes.
:-)


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Hoosierpopi wrote:
If they have changed the packaging (they do from time to time to
frustrate such returns), just buy a new one, slip the old one in the
new box and return that one.

They (retailers) know that a significant percentage of this Chinese
stuff newer saw a QC test and count on the customer to accept the
premature failure and buy a new one while calculating a higher
"Returns & Allowances" factor in determining their "Markup." to
account for the high crap rates.


Otherwise known as theft.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:45:45 -0600, -MIKE- cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:



Well, you've certainly had a different experience than me. For the last
9 years, I changed out those cheap ones, like they're disposable. None
lasted more than 2 years, some less than a year. The ballasts were
twice as much as the fixtures. When I did open one up, I found all the
ballast parts scattered in the fixture housing, all attached in a
different manner, with wiring all tangled and soldered.

The ballasts for the $15 fixture is one a self contained metal housing
and can be changed with one screw and a few wire nuts, without
disassembling or un-mounting the fixture. Another $18 light had an
integrated plug.. the ballast could be changed quicker than two tubes.
:-)

Are you talking about the $8 fixtures at HD Mike? That's the specific
cheap fixture we're speaking about here. I've opened several of those up
and have never seen what you describe. I did have a like experience with
the $20 fixtures from Lowes. Pure junk. I'm pretty sure they were
American Florescent. They quickly stop going into run mode and begin
eating up bulbs like there is no tomorrow.

Where are you getting the $18 dollar fixtures you're using? Brand? Always
on the hunt for good stuff in case I later decide that the good stuff I've
stumbled across does not turn out to be all that good.


--

-Mike-

-MIKE- wrote:
Hoosierpopi wrote:
If they have changed the packaging (they do from time to time to
frustrate such returns), just buy a new one, slip the old one in the
new box and return that one.

They (retailers) know that a significant percentage of this Chinese
stuff newer saw a QC test and count on the customer to accept the
premature failure and buy a new one while calculating a higher
"Returns & Allowances" factor in determining their "Markup." to
account for the high crap rates.


Otherwise known as theft.

Yeah, but they're screwing us over by selling us this Chinese junk so
it's ok...

--
"Our beer goes through thousands of quality Czechs every day."
(From a Shiner Bock billboard I saw in Austin some years ago)
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

On Jan 11, 2:51*pm, "mark" wrote:
Greetings All,
*I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents with
something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux for a
while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires conduit
everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was at the borg
and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking they would be
nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents.
Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did like about them
is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be
good.... *TIA, Mark

I've installed 37 4 foot 2 bulb fluorescent fixtures in my basement.
About $20 each from Menards. Don't notice any buzzing or flickering.
Not cheap at $20 per fixture. And they do need to be wired in. So
that takes time and effort. But I'm happy with all of the light.
Using the cheap bulbs because they are $0.80 per bulb compared to the
$5 per bulb for the high CRI bulbs. Couldn't quite reconcile the
difference. White walls and white floor are wonderful. Conduit as
opposed to regular old 12/2 sheathed wire? Odd codes.

wrote in message
I've installed 37 4 foot 2 bulb fluorescent fixtures in
my basement. About $20 each from Menards.

That's a whole lot of fixtures and light bulbs. Do the street lights in your
neighbourhood dim when you turn on your basement lights? How big *is* your
basement?

On Jan 12, 1:48*pm, "Upscale" wrote:
wrote in message
I've installed 37 4 foot 2 bulb fluorescent fixtures in
my basement. About $20 each from Menards.

That's a whole lot of fixtures and light bulbs. Do the street lights in your
neighbourhood dim when you turn on your basement lights? How big *is* your
basement?

I like light. 1200 square feet. Approximately two rectangular rooms
of 600 sq ft each. Six rows of three light fixtures each. With
another one light behind the staircase. White painted walls and white
painted floor.

wrote:
On Jan 11, 2:51 pm, "mark" wrote:
Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the flourescents with
something else brighter. Since the machine layout will be in flux for a
while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local code requires conduit
everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for ceiling cans. I was at the borg
and picked up a couple of GE 24" halogen fixtures, thnking they would be
nice and bright. I was dead wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents.
Probably good for a small area at best. The one thing I did like about them
is they are linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be
good.... TIA, Mark

I've installed 37 4 foot 2 bulb fluorescent fixtures in my basement.
About $20 each from Menards. Don't notice any buzzing or flickering.
Not cheap at $20 per fixture. And they do need to be wired in. So
that takes time and effort. But I'm happy with all of the light.
Using the cheap bulbs because they are $0.80 per bulb compared to the
$5 per bulb for the high CRI bulbs. Couldn't quite reconcile the
difference. White walls and white floor are wonderful. Conduit as
opposed to regular old 12/2 sheathed wire? Odd codes.

With that much light, you can probably grow some nice plants ;-)

wrote in message
...
On Jan 12, 1:48 pm, "Upscale" wrote:
wrote in message
I've installed 37 4 foot 2 bulb fluorescent fixtures in
my basement. About $20 each from Menards.

That's a whole lot of fixtures and light bulbs. Do the street lights in
your
neighbourhood dim when you turn on your basement lights? How big *is* your
basement?

I like light. 1200 square feet. Approximately two rectangular rooms
of 600 sq ft each. Six rows of three light fixtures each. With
another one light behind the staircase. White painted walls and white
painted floor.

A 1200 sq ft shop! That's huge! It would take me over a month to fill that
size shop with half finished projects, cutoffs, new stock, old stock, half
refurbed equipment, coffee cups, etc.

You are lucky.

Larry C

Yup, heat dissipation. It appears that the ballasts are mounted tight
to the metal "shade", using it as a sort of heat sink.

Pete Stanaitis
--------------------

Mike Marlow wrote:

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:38:48 -0500, Highland Pairos cast forth these pearls
of wisdom...:


What is the purpose of the 1" spacer?

SteveP.

1200 square feet. Approximately two rectangular rooms
of 600 sq ft each. Six rows of three light fixtures each. With
another one light behind the staircase. White painted walls and white
painted floor.

Drive-by.

You suck.

jc

"mark" wrote in
:

Greetings All,
I have a basement which has just a couple of 48" flourescents right
now. I
need to add more lighting and was looking at replacing the
flourescents with something else brighter. Since the machine layout
will be in flux for a while, ceiling cans are out. Besides, my local
code requires conduit everywhere, and I'm not going thru that for
ceiling cans. I was at the borg and picked up a couple of GE 24"
halogen fixtures, thnking they would be nice and bright. I was dead
wrong. Dim, compared to my flourescents. Probably good for a small
area at best. The one thing I did like about them is they are
linkable. Any ideas out there? Bright, and linkable would be good....
TIA, Mark



If you're looking for something to provide some task lighting that's
movable but could be placed in conduit, there's various forms of track
lighting available. Most take a standard 60W bulb (so CFL replacements
are cheap and easy) and can be turned to light up the area you want them
to light up.

I haven't used them in a shop environment, though, so it's hard to say
how they'd hold up. It seems that one track light fixture will light up
about the same area as one 4' flourescent fixture.

Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as
some writers are incorrigible.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

-MIKE- wrote:

Hoosierpopi wrote:
If they have changed the packaging (they do from time to time to
frustrate such returns), just buy a new one, slip the old one in the
new box and return that one.

They (retailers) know that a significant percentage of this Chinese
stuff newer saw a QC test and count on the customer to accept the
premature failure and buy a new one while calculating a higher
"Returns & Allowances" factor in determining their "Markup." to
account for the high crap rates.


Otherwise known as theft.

Well, returning a product that fails in an unreasonable period of time (but
outside the store's return policy) isn't quite theft. In the case of
something the seller knows is likely to die an early death it's more like
revenge than theft. Maybe revenge isn't all that admirable either, but
neither is selling junk.