Fluorescent fittings

maltaron · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:20 pm Post Subject: Fluorescent fittings

Further to my previous topic regarding the unavailability of 80 watt 5ft fittings (which topic was hijacked into a discussion on CFL's) , can anyone point me to where I can find lumen outputs for the new 58 watt ECO fittings and for the old 80watt units. I am shortly having an extension built and my existing kitchen is lit perfectly with a single 80 watt unit and suspect that I will require more than one 58 watt for the new kitchen.

Aragorn84 · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:35 pm Post Subject:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Fluorescent_Lighting#Lamp_sizes

That suggests the 80w lamps havent been used since the 1960's...

T12 65w tubes are the other possibility, but finding a fitting that will take them will be problematic.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Lighting/L1_Regs/Lumen_Complies.htm

bhm1712 · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:44 pm Post Subject:

the 58w 5ft tubes, with a high frequency fitting are very economical and bright. especially if you get a day glow or bright white tube.

at work we are currently replacing all starter fittings which fail with high frequency ones, mostly 58w to save costs and energy.

333rocky333 · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:41 pm Post Subject:

5200 lumens for a 5ft 840 tube

You may struggle to get details for a 80 watt

http://www.lightonenergy.co.uk/Philips-Master-TLD-T8-p/t8-philips-tld.htm

You say you have spare 80 watt tubes, why not get 58w fittings and swop the chokes

Or get a fitting using 80watt T5 tubes, 5ft aprox

http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/840-Cool-White_17/T5-80-Watt-840-Philips

Or even

http://www.llumarlite.co.uk/RetroluxT5.pdf

Stoday · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 4:16 am Post Subject:

By 1960, IIRC, 5' 80W tubes became obsolete, along with tubes that had a BC cap on both ends.

The then new 5' 65W lamps could be fitted directly into fittings with 80W gear. They did not require 65W chokes because the lamps characteristics meant that the correct current was set by the old 80W chokes.

maltaron · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 2:12 pm Post Subject:

Intersesting comments re 5ft 80watt demise in 1960. I have purchased these fittings off the shelf as recent as 1998 and 5ft 1.5" dia, tubes are still available even at DIY sheds. The additional surface area of 1.5" lamps makes them brighter than the modern 1" tubes, even with so called greater efficiency of modern ECO friendly units

Aragorn84 · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:11 pm Post Subject:

Modern 1.5" dia tubes (T12) are 65w....

They were introduced because they used 15w less power with only a tiny drop in output.

I suggest you take a look at the T12 tube in your kitchen to see if it IS actually an 80W tube....

333rocky333 · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:39 pm Post Subject:

The original 80 watt tube was designed to run on a 80 watt Ballast unit or a Transtar unit.
For a short period there was 80 watt chokes available.

This evolved to a 65/80 tube which could run on the above ballasts or the 65/80 choke which was becoming popular.

It then started being branded as a 65 watt tube and the 80 was left off the branding of most tubes.

Both 65 and 65/80 tubes are still available as you know,
it is the fitting that is not.

However most 58 watt chokes will still run a 65 watt tube and most likely a 65/80.

maltaron · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:50 pm Post Subject:

Thanks for the interesting replies. The 1.5" tubes I have are indeed 65watt, and is it ok to use these on 58watt electronic ballasts?