Flourescent shop light

IaLeo · Oct 24, 2015

I had installed 6 twin tube (8') flourescent lights in the 40 x 60 quonset shop about 20 years ago and they gradually got dimmer or would not turn on. Bought a box of tubes and replaced the ones in 4 fixtures, but the new tubes wouldn't light up in fixture 5...just a glimmer in one tube. Fiddled around with the tubes, but no go. I expect something is wrong with the ballast?? It is not fun working off a scaffold and I know there a bunch of wires to deal with. So I am asking before I do something dumb...does it sound like ballast problems? These are oval socketed ends on the tubes. I have a discarded single round pin fixture my son gave me ...would the ballast in that one (if good) be useful?

Or should I just chuck the the fixture and hang a powerful LED light instead? Fixture #6 has been dead for years and due to junky tractors and a 100 year old foot operated shear, I can't get to it.

Opinions/experience welcome. IaLeo

guido · Oct 24, 2015

Hello IaLeo,

LED is the way to go! Instant on, bright, and cheaper to run

Guido.

js305 · Oct 24, 2015

Yep, there are wires inside that won't be familiar if you haven't dealt with these lamps and fixtures before. LED's are probably the best bang for the money now. If you decided to try and replace the ballasts, be aware that the old heavy "magnetic" ballasts are not available any more. You can get newer electronic ballasts, but the fixture has to be rewired somewhat, it's not a quick and dirty changeout. It can be done though, and you can keep using your same bulbs. But, that style will get harder to find soon as well.

I would consider new fixtures and be done with it.

Steve@Advance · Oct 24, 2015

Those old fixtures are known to have problems starting. They're pretty much dinosaurs. You can replace the ballast, the new ones are electronic and will wire different from the original. Not difficult, just a lot of working overhead.

The ballast in the single pin "Slimline" fixture will not work with the 2 pin oval "HO" (high output) fixtures.

If you go with new fixtures, LED is a good choice, so are T5 HO troffer fixtures. The troffer fixtures have reflectors inside to direct the light down where it's needed. Also the cover keeps the lamps clean and more efficient. The T5 florescents are very bright, work well on cold start up.

fixerupper · Oct 24, 2015

You will be amazed at how much more light you will get out of reflectorizedT5's like Steve suggested. I don't know much about the LED's but people seem to like them.

D beatty · Oct 24, 2015

My shop is a 40x60 Quonset building and was built in 1984 and I put 6-500 watt halogen when it was built. I have several of them explode and have since put in 6-LED light fixtures that are 32 watts each and give off as much if not more light than the halogen.

showcrop · Oct 25, 2015

You can get eight foot LED surface mounts that make 8000 lumens and never climb up there again.

IaLeo · Oct 25, 2015

Thank you, all. Will look into the suggestions tomorrow. Leo

fastfarmall · Oct 25, 2015

Plus they run cheap, and will last 50,000 hours

Flourescent shop light

IaLeo

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guido

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js305

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Steve@Advance

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fixerupper

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D beatty

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showcrop

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IaLeo

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fastfarmall

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