Floresent Lights T8 or T12?

[DRH1175]

I need to buy a bunch of fixtures for my garage to mount on the ceiling What do I buy? What is the difference between T8 vs T12 besides the diameter? Is there one that works better in colder Temps. Though the garage is heated. In the winter it may only be around 40deg.

[sparcebag]

Theres a cold weather tube made for ya,look in the selection its there.They cost more but work pretty good,I use them in one fixture till I warm the garage where the T8s will fully light and not flicker.I believe I bought it as a whole unit?? The ballast is heavier I think and made to run the tubes better.

[reddog]

You're looking for a HO (high output) fixture and bulbs.

Awesome lighting in a garage.

[DRH1175]

But the HO only come in 8' right? They are hard to carry home in the car.

[sparcebag]

There in 4 ft.!

[traveler]

thats a great tagline Sparcebag:)

[sparcebag]

thats a great tagline Sparcebag:)

Thanks Its ment to be read and whoever reads it takes ownership of it,as (mine)=theirs

[iceman1603]

I agree, you need High output bulbs and fixtures. They may cost a touch more in the begining but you will have exceptional cold atmosphere start up and less wattage consumption..

[JohnMickish]

Most T-12 lamps have a minimum 50 degree start temp. You can get T-8 lamps with a rapid start ballast that starts at zero degrees. If it where me and I just went thru this, I wouldnt purchase a T-12. I prefer the light that T-8s give off. Look into getting 3 or 4 lamp troffer (2X4 lay in lights) instead of 2 lamp garage fixtures.

One cool thing about using the 4 lamp troffer fixtures is if they have two ballast you can split the lighting into just burning 2 lamps at a time or all four.

If you want bright white light in your garage get the lamps that have the numbers 5400 on them. Thats the color in degrees of celvin.

[DrKen]

T8 vs T12. The T8 is a newer bulb designed to be more energy efficient. It is touted to use 1/3 less energy while giving 1/3 more light. Both versions come in cold envirionment versions which relate more to the ballast than the bulbs. Flourescent tubes work by energizing a gas inside and in cold environments the ballasts need to put out more energy to excite the gas. You will notice that the bulbs need some time to warm up and become bright. I have both versions in my garage and they work fine but the T8 versions are definitely brighter.

[DRH1175]

I guess i like the t8 light too that is what we have here at work. I had a HO in my garage at my last house and they were bright even in the dead of winter with the garage heater off. I am putting the new ones in a garage that will kept at around 40deg in winter. I have a bunch of light fixtures spread out around my 24 x 40 garage so there should be plenty of light reguardless of the bulbs. I would like to save energy since I will have lots of lights going at once. Thanks

[JohnMickish]

There is an even newer design out now called a T-5. A very skinny lamp and you can get it up to 54 watts. These babies put out some light! I do not know if the home depot type stores carry any of these or if they are just a supply house item.

[DRH1175]

T-5? Cool I will have to look into these!