Florescent tubes

[Russ from MN]

A friend told me today that you can't buy 4 foot tubes to fit the older fixtures, like I have in my shop, is that true? I have the basic shop light with 2 40 watt tubes, about 1 1/4 inch dia. the new tubes are called T8's and are 32 watt.

 

[dhopfinsd]

T12 tubes are the ones that are outdated and no longer made.

T8 are smaller then T12.

T5 are the newer ones.

T12 is 12/8 or 1 1/2 inch in diameter and T8 are 8/8 or 1 inch in diameter.

Don
T12 versus T8

 

[Pappy]

I've been buying the old fashioned 48" tubes from Ace Hareware for the last few months. F 40 T 12 on the package. They advertise them every few weeks like a package of two for $3.97 or so. I have about 30 in stock now.

 

[Steve@Advance]

The T8's will replace the T12's. I can't tell any difference in the light output.

What you can't do is run T12 lamps on a ballast made for T8 lamps. But T8's will work with either ballast.

 

[dhopfinsd]

Recently I took over the janitor duties at the church. Some light tubes were bad so I got another box of 30. Later on I found another 2 boxes of tubes. Shouldn't need any more.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 22:15:41 04/19/15) A friend told me today that you can't buy 4 foot tubes to fit the older fixtures, like I have in my shop, is that true? I have the basic shop light with 2 40 watt tubes, about 1 1/4 inch dia. the new tubes are called T8's and are 32 watt.

ought them from Home Depot last week.

 

[jeffcat]

I work at one of the casinos in Atlantic City. A couple of years ago they were running all over the joint with the tube change over! TONSSSSS of ballasts were changed out and a lot of them were 227 units for 480 electrical hook ups. I hope I have that right. They left tube in fixtures till the ends were purple black in color!

 

[D beatty]

They do make a LED replacement for the T12 and T8. Your T 12's are 40 watt,the T 8's are 32 watts and the LED are 17 watts and give off more light than T8's or T 12's.

 

[David G]

You are close, 277 would be the 480 phase to ground.

 

[ditchwitch]

Russ, We have several 2x4 fixtures here in our shop. The old style was 2 ballest per 4 bulbs. I have changed them over to a 1 ballest to 4 bulbs system with T8 bulbs. That way i didnt have to buy several 2x4 fixtures. And they actually give off more light. Its a simple rewire if you need info on how to just let me know. The lighting store we trade with told us they were doing away with the regular Florescent tubes because of the mercury in them.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 12:02:26 04/21/15) Russ, We have several 2x4 fixtures here in our shop. The old style was 2 ballest per 4 bulbs. I have changed them over to a 1 ballest to 4 bulbs system with T8 bulbs. That way i didnt have to buy several 2x4 fixtures. And they actually give off more light. Its a simple rewire if you need info on how to just let me know. The lighting store we trade with told us they were doing away with the regular Florescent tubes because of the mercury in them.

aybe he's blowing smoke. Even "new" style florescent tube use mercury.........don't believe possible to make without it.

 

[jimg.allentown]

I just bought a box of 10 at the HD store here in town last week. If they are obsolete, nobody told me.

Also, I remember reading somewhere that all fluorescent bulbs have a bit of mercury in them. Won't work without it as I recall - at least according to what I read.