Hi all,
I have a 3 car garage and a 20 X 24 two story shop that need to have the proper lighting. They currently have incandescent bulbs that are OK but not great. I have tried the cheapo fluorescent lights from Home Depot before, the buzz and hum just about drove me crazy. Plus they don't work well in cold temps.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bill T.
Shop Lighting
You would be hard pressed to find good quality flouresant lights at the after dark box stores.
Standard flouresant lights (magnetic ballasts) don't do well under about 50 degrees. If you check around you can get flouresant lights with electronic ballasts that produce no harmonic noise and will do nicely in temperatures down to around 0 degrees.
tim
Standard flouresant lights (magnetic ballasts) don't do well under about 50 degrees. If you check around you can get flouresant lights with electronic ballasts that produce no harmonic noise and will do nicely in temperatures down to around 0 degrees.
tim
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Ralph_Monroe_Mi
- Posts: 202
- Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 9:33 am
- Location: Southeast Michigan
The noise is generated by parts that aren't tight to each other on the cheap units. It's easy to quiet them down.
Start with the ballast. They are usually only fastened in with a sheet metal screw on one end and a punched down tab on the other end. Drill a hole in the slot through the case at the tab end, and use a machine screw, nut and a couple of flat washers to tighten it up. It doesn't hurt to ream out the hole at the other end, and replace the sheet metal screw with the same arrangement. 8-32's are a nice size.
The reflector is usually fastened on at the ends with a barely adequate to inadequate arrangement. A couple of through screws, nuts and washers 6 to 12" in from the ends will tighten them up. # 8's again. Works better than a kitchen match jammed between them.
Watch out for the wires and ballast of course.
BC
Start with the ballast. They are usually only fastened in with a sheet metal screw on one end and a punched down tab on the other end. Drill a hole in the slot through the case at the tab end, and use a machine screw, nut and a couple of flat washers to tighten it up. It doesn't hurt to ream out the hole at the other end, and replace the sheet metal screw with the same arrangement. 8-32's are a nice size.
The reflector is usually fastened on at the ends with a barely adequate to inadequate arrangement. A couple of through screws, nuts and washers 6 to 12" in from the ends will tighten them up. # 8's again. Works better than a kitchen match jammed between them.
Watch out for the wires and ballast of course.
BC
Re: Shop Lighting
Bill, there's TWO types of "el cheapo" flourescent ballasts - the old Stand By - basically tranformers - and of course the latest and greatest - ELECTRONIC BALLASTS - I bought the OLD STYLE for my main shop and while they work - aren't noisey they do get irritated with the COLD temps and also get irritated with humidity ( I think) all in all - they are OK at best. These were moderately expensive - I think 30 bucks a fixture (2 bulb 48")
In my other shop area - I bought the SUPER EL CHEAPO fixtures from Home Depot ( I think) these are Stainless, but cost something like 10 bucks each, BUT have the ELECTRONIC BALLASTS - I put the cheapest bulbs I can find and these things work 100 times BETTER than my "better" fixtures. I don't heat this area - and no matter what the temp is they light instantly -everytime! The temps definitely below freezing in there as my water containers freeze regularily. Granted the Housing's are junk - but for what I paid I ain't complaining!!!!
In my other shop area - I bought the SUPER EL CHEAPO fixtures from Home Depot ( I think) these are Stainless, but cost something like 10 bucks each, BUT have the ELECTRONIC BALLASTS - I put the cheapest bulbs I can find and these things work 100 times BETTER than my "better" fixtures. I don't heat this area - and no matter what the temp is they light instantly -everytime! The temps definitely below freezing in there as my water containers freeze regularily. Granted the Housing's are junk - but for what I paid I ain't complaining!!!!
WThanel wrote:Hi all,
I have a 3 car garage and a 20 X 24 two story shop that need to have the proper lighting. They currently have incandescent bulbs that are OK but not great. I have tried the cheapo fluorescent lights from Home Depot before, the buzz and hum just about drove me crazy. Plus they don't work well in cold temps.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bill T.