T12 Flourescent Phase Out Discussion

[MossRoad]

I've read that as of July of this year(2012), T12 flourescent lamps will no longer be manufactured.

Discuss amongst yourselves. :laughing:

 

[newbury]

I've read it also:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...rescent-phase-out-discussion.html#post2805269
Do you have any other links ?

 

[jonyyuma]

Guys, this was last year..The t-8's have been here for years. Now we are buying the t-5 lamps for a lot of big installations. Some of the t-5 lamps have been steady burning for three years in our buildings..Cost is higher and you will need new ballast to convert to t-8 or T-5 lamps..We have to pay for re-cycle by the foot here?All this in the name of conserving energy?

 

[hr3]

The A19 bulb is also being phased out,, starting last jan. ending with the 40watt buld in 2014..

 

[grsthegreat]

My supply house told me the High Output 110 watt t-12's will still be manufactured for some time as there needed in cold weather installations. As stated before, the T-8 tandem fixtures put out better light (lumen/watt) then the T-12's ever did.

There are retrofit kits available to convert t-12 into t-8 lights...but why bother. For $40 i can get a new tandem t8 fixture plus $6 for a set of lamps.


Personally ive stockpiled a bunch of t-12 HO lamps and incandescent 100, 75,60 & 40 watt lamps. Then ill slowly switch over to led LAMPS AFTER THE PRICES DROP ... not when they try to force me to. Also, if you have 65watt recessed lights with incandescent lamps....best stockpile lamps. there on the way out.

 

[jonyyuma]

GR, remember the old powergroove lamps..lots of mercury inside..We get some good prices on the newer fixture, and robbed on the others.. I really dislike the new Hi-hats with the Biax and cf32dte lamps, the ballast are real pains and expensive...

 

[flyerdan]

Thanks for the heads-up and reminder; I used the last one in my case of spares the other day. Lowes still has them, I see.
Don't you hate it when they mess with something that's been established for decades just to help the so-called green energy crooks line their pockets?

 

[grsthegreat]

its only going to get worse. get this, now there trying to force us to install occupancy sensors on all locations in residential houses...ie eliminate switches.

the new 2011 NEC code requires all switch locations to have a neutral so we can force the installation of these neucence switches on the public (come future code changes). Just imagine not being able to adjust the lighting as YOU want to. or having lights go on and off as you walk thru the house. Not to mention light going off while your reading the morning paper cause your not moving enough.


Man, im really getting sick and tired of the governments intrusion in our lives. The younger generations dont care...just as long as they dont lose their ipods or smart phones.... or American idol. I fear it will take the govt shutting down the internet to get them riled up.

Me, ive stockpiled T-12 HO lamps and enough incandescents to keep me supplied for 20 years . I bought industrial quantities of 130v A19 lamps for about $0.25/each thru the supply house. I got 130V 65 watt R30 lamps for $0.80 each in quantity. So i could care less what unc sam tries to regulate. Ill switch to LED when they get down to this price.

 

[troutsqueezer]

I've just finished up starting some tomatoes in my greenhouse. One half of the seedlings were grown under the old T12 bulbs and the other half under some new T8 bulbs. Four bulbs over each batch of plants. Each batch had fifty plants. Those under the T8 bulbs outgrew the others by a very large margin. I'm throwing out the T12's next year.

 

[grsthegreat]

I've just finished up starting some tomatoes in my greenhouse. One half of the seedlings were grown under the old T12 bulbs and the other half under some new T8 bulbs. Four bulbs over each batch of plants. Each batch had fifty plants. Those under the T8 bulbs outgrew the others by a very large margin. I'm throwing out the T12's next year.

not sure why, but has to do with light spectrum. some lamps are set to different wavelengths, and has nothing to do with t12 or t8.

you can get 5400K lamps which are bright white, or 3500K which have an orange tint. You can also get approved growing light which have a larger spectrum.

Also to note, as florescent lamps age, their output decreases. Not as bad as other lights like High intensity discharge lamps (metal halide, etc) but it happens.

 

[GregbkH]

We are replacing all t12 fixtures with new high efficiency 2 lamp t8's. They are a lot brighter than the old 4 lamp t12's. We are also replacing all the 480v 1000 watt parking lot lighting with LED's. The LED's are impressive as well.

 

[troutsqueezer]

not sure why, but has to do with light spectrum. some lamps are set to different wavelengths, and has nothing to do with t12 or t8.

you can get 5400K lamps which are bright white, or 3500K which have an orange tint. You can also get approved growing light which have a larger spectrum.

Also to note, as florescent lamps age, their output decreases. Not as bad as other lights like High intensity discharge lamps (metal halide, etc) but it happens.

These are both daylight spectrum. When using flourescents any spectrum works however. Growing lights are too expensive for what amounts to a very diminished return. Once the seedlings have four true leaves they are hardened off anyway.

 

[ultrarunner]

We are replacing all t12 fixtures with new high efficiency 2 lamp t8's. They are a lot brighter than the old 4 lamp t12's. We are also replacing all the 480v 1000 watt parking lot lighting with LED's. The LED's are impressive as well.

We put in all T-8 in 1995... even got a award at work for it.

Now, they are pushing us to go T-5...

 

[grsthegreat]

I put a t5 - 4 lamp light over my work bench... man that thing puts out some light. But not too energy efficient. each lamp is 54 watts = over 200 watt fixture.

 

[kenmac]

Just put in T8'S ? (small bulbs ?) fixtures in my shop. Got tired of the large bulbs not wanting to come on when it's cold. These small bulbs come on when it's cold. I went with a # 65 ? bulb for brightness