> I'm building a 20x36 garage with 3 roll up doors and was considering 8 > 4' > sections of incandescent tubes on each side of the garage for a total > of 16.
My 24x36 has 15 2-tube 96" HO fixtures in it. About 3kW of lights when they're all on. Two down each aisle (including sides, with another one centered over the car hood location. Four crossways down the window (bench) side. Three circuits. Plenty bright, even though there are no white walls or ceilings yet. Once those are in I expect it to be lit like a paint booth! Been in about 6 years, and I've broken one tube. The ballasts, new, are all old-school magnetics. No sign of tube aging. You REALLY want cold-start fixtures if you're going fluorescent. I have a bunch of haphazard 4' fixtures, mostly Lights of America, in the old garage, and more than half won't start on a cold day. The (cheap) electronic ballasts also consume bulbs like they are free. I'm always buying new tubes for them. The magnetic ballast lights in the five troffer fixtures have yet to consume a bulb, but are no easier starting in the cold. The HO fixtures all start immediately, at about half brightness. Within a couple of minutes they're at full brightness. Sometimes they buzz and flicker a bit when cold, but that goes away. The HO fixtures were all used, I think about $35/each with new ballasts. I bought two cases of bulbs new at one of the big-box stores when they were on sale. Not all that cheap, but extremely satisfactory. -- Jim _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
