Florescent shop light

Wal · Jan 16, 2002

Here is my experience with cold temperature flor. lights. I have a couple of "cheapie" shop lights in my unheated storage shed. They also have "cheapie" cool white 40W tubes. When I have been arriving at the property this winter, its been anywhere from maybe 25 degrees on up to 50 degrees in the shed. When I turn the power on, the lights just sputter and flicker and generally carry on for about five minutes or so until they get "warmed up", at which point they work fine with just a trace of "buzzing".

Anonymous Poster · Jan 16, 2002

The ballast should list the correct bulb type and operating temperature. You will probably have to open the unit to read it.

I have had terrible luck with flourescent light fixtures at low temperatures. I even had two in a bathroom in my old house that were framed in an attractive "box" along an outside wall of an upstairs bathroom that simply wouldn't work right. I replaced the ballasts and bulbs, etc. Turns out the little "box" didn't stay warm enough when it was cold out.

I used lights with electronic ballasts rated to start at 0 degrees F in my kennel, even though I heat it to about 50 degrees. No problems with those, but the ones I bought take T8 bulbs.

MossRoad · Jan 16, 2002

I had trouble with energy saver bulbs in my shop lights. You might want to try regular 40W bulbs and see if it works.

gerard · Jan 16, 2002

Here's a question for the engineers out there. Can't someone design a better tube fluorescent bulb system? I've seen commercial fluorescents that just have a single big dimple on the end that just fits into a spring loaded female portion in the fixture. Easy to install. The fluorescents that have the two prongs that have to line up and then twist 90deg are a royal pain in the ^(*&^(! especially the 8 footers since you can't see one end well while lining up the other. Is it just me or does anyone else think this design is lousy??

Thomas · Jan 16, 2002

I agree w/you!!The single pin..sinlgle socket F48 T12 & F72 T12 & F96 T12 all instant start ballast were almost trouble free,and maybe why they took them off the market. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gifIf one has low room temp than fluorescent type they might consider would be like the cooler style,,but the cost will be higher,also have different types of pin styles.

mikim · Jan 16, 2002

I bought the cheapest fixture I could for mine - $7.50 in Walmart and the cheapest bulbs also at wally's and they work just fine. My guess - you got a bad fixture or bad bulbs - I'd replace 'em both and get rid of the aggravation. It was pretty chilly at new years and it's not a heated shed - and it worked just fine.
mike

Thomas · Jan 16, 2002

Ballast.{2}F40T12 40W RS min start temp 50F..120 volt{2}F40T12 34W RS min start temp 60F..120 voltI might be wrong..all energy saver lamps have minimun temperature rating of 60F....this would be the more updated ballast ,compare to the older style F40T12 ballast.The gentleman who said "swtich to cool white" what I would do before replacing your ballast.

Alan L. · Jan 17, 2002

Sounds like I should first switch lamps to 40W - not "energy saving". How can you tell a T8 from a T12? I don't see anywhere on the lamp where it says which it is.

The light fixture was in a retail style box with color graphics and everything, packaged inside the box with the backwall from Craftsman. However I chunked the box and don't remember the brand. If the new lamps don't work I'll take it off and either just replace it or take it to Sears and get them to replace it with one I check and am sure works.

I'll report.

Anonymous Poster · Jan 17, 2002

Congratulations. You have just been victimized by Al Gore and his band of tree huggers.
Most of the 4 foot shop lights are built for 40 watt tubes. They will not work with the AlGore 34 watt tubes now common in the marketplace. You can still get 40 watt tubes, but it ain't easy to find them.
Either change the ballast for huge dollars, or find 40 watt tubes.

Thomas · Jan 17, 2002

With no marking on the bulbs telling its a T8 or T12 you could check the ballast to see if it design for only T8 or T12,and the other way would to watch the powder gases try and light.
The gases would have circles purpleish colors and thats a good sign of a T8 in cooler temp.
Not to throw a monkey wrench into the topic,but sometime one might install a F40T12 instant start lamps in a F40T12 rapid start ballast setup,which the lamps might light but there lazy to light the lamps..you may want to check.
Question.
Do you have more than one light wired in series,if so check the connections,also check the line current.
F40T12 cool white rapid start lamps seem to work the best for cooler temps and shop use.