# T5 for shop lighting



## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

There has been discussion about shop lighting, but I can not remember anyone mentioning T5 fluorescent
lights. I had to stop by Platt Electrical today to pick up a new cover for my exterior fourplex outlet. The
clumsy snowshoveler had dinged up the old one. They have a sale on the 4 lamp t5 shop fixtures that 
will continue for another week or so. The four lamp T5 fixture will put out about twice the light of the 
T8 and will pull 2 amps of 120 current. For those of us with the T12 fixtures, the department of energy
is forcing a discontinuance of T12 bulbs this summer, but the good news is that Platt has a sale on the 
T8 ballasts that will fit the T12 as will the T8 bulbs, The electronic ballasts which were about $25 last year
are now on sale for $12.98 for a two bulb ballast, so I picked up a ballast for the fixture over my lathe which
is hanging 7 ft off the floor. All my other T12 fixtures will be replaced by T5s. The bad news is that the
T5 bulbs which were about $5 last year are about $10 this year because the US cut back on phosphorus
production because Chinese phosphorus was so inexpensive and surprise, surprise China has now increased 
the price of phosphorus. I did not check into the prices of the 8 foot fixtures, so those of you with bigger
shops will have to do your own legwork. The newer T5 bulbs are good for 40,000 hours, so you will not
have to worry about replacing them in the near future. The above prices are wholesale electrical contractor,
so retail will be more.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Last year I put electric in my outbuilding and used the T5s on the electricians recommendation because they were instant on at full power, didn't hum and worked in low temps. No complaints, except the units were around $60 each, plus the bulbs. But they do throw a lot of light. Unfortunately, the electrician shared a neutral with the one set of outlets so they effect my radio at certain frequencies.


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## MoPower (Feb 6, 2009)

Go to my home page and scroll down to the My New Workshop thread. All of my lighting is 8' 4 lamp T-5 fixtures. Absolutely no problem with lighting.
The T-5 lamps and the new electronic ballasts are very efficient, and do not buzz or strobe like the old style flourecent fixtures do. And the lamps last way longer.


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## hhhopks (Nov 22, 2011)

Lamps don't buzz. It is the balast in the fixture.
In genral the new electronic ballast are better, but is it worth the additioal cost?

No body ever calculate the cost saving/pay back properly on these things.

Oh yea. Where are you suppose to dispose of these lamps when you are done with them?


> ?


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