Fluorescent tubes

Joined
13 Jan 2012
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Blackpool
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Can anyone recommend some good fluorescent tubes? I'm looking to light an attic space. Last time I got some el cheapo jobbies from a well-know supplier of screws and fixings and I got what I paid for. This time I'm hoping to do a little better. They key feature I'm looking for is the ability to actually illuminate the workspace.
 
I find GE are perfectly good.

Last ones I bought were Thorn HF fittings, with GE tubes. Warm white light.

The HF ballasts are essential I think for getting a stable light in workspaces.
 
The coatings used in tubes do vary with some even a reflector built into the tube also the plain induction controlled lamp will not be as good as HF units but can't really see it's worth paying 6 times more for lights to go in an attic.

Voltage is also very important with non HF units so what may seem rubbish in one house may work A1 in another because of local voltage variations.

This firm RS Components offer 300 tubes different colours lengths and coatings you get what you pay for. I am not suggesting to buy from RS I am just pointing out how many options in tube alone. I noticed one at £15.55 each so how much do you want to pay?
 
Get tubes numbered 8xx, most tubes sold nowadays should be anyway, anything marked 5xx is proberly old stock.

Agree with RF go for cool white (840)
 
Thorn HF with triphosphor.

Although, the current generation of Thorn are nowt like the old 1970's stock....Aye, them were built to last, lad!

The only advantage is they are easier on the arm to put up (weight-wise), especially the HF's with the light-weight gear, but they are flimsy as fork.

Put them on an uneven ceiling and they're all ovver the place.

At least the old ones had some rigidity.

The new ones are OK to hang with galv. chain and monkey puzzles.
 

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