Flouresent lighting quwstion

MountaineerTom · January 1, 2005

I'm thinking of replacing the regular light fixture in my garage with a 4 foot flourensent fixture. On the ballast it said minimum lighting (maybe starting, I don't know) 50*.

Does that mean it won't light up under that temp? I have some flouresent lighjts in my workshop, and they work fine in temps below 50*.

The garage is not insulated, so I know it will be colder that that at times in there. I plan of insulating it sometime in the future, just not sure when.

SnakeEyeSS · January 1, 2005

hmm, you might go to the manufacturer's website, get their 1-800 number and give them a call. then you'd know for sure!

BBSilverado · January 1, 2005

test it first, some time when it is cold out there take your light and plug it into a receptacle and try it before you go to the trouble of installing it and finding out that it needs to be above 50° for it to start up.

Some flouresents are picky like that.

major · January 9, 2005

In cold regions you need H.O. fluorescent fixtures. ( High Output ). That is correct that 50 F is the starting point for dimmer output of a normal fluorescent. The colder it is the less light / lumen output until you have just a flicker. HO's will fire at 20 to 30 below zero F. Try Home Depot or Lowes. They are called 2 lamp - 8' strip - H.O.'s. If buzzing noise or 60 cycle flicker is a problem for you, an electronic ballast fluorescent is a nice choice. Depending on how extreme cold we are talking about, they should work down to about 10 F.

Note: all fluorescent fixtures ( except electronic ballast ) have 60 cycle flicker and to some degree buzzing of some sort.

MountaineerTom · January 9, 2005

In cold regions you need H.O. fluorescent fixtures. ( High Output ). That is correct that 50 F is the starting point for dimmer output of a normal fluorescent. The colder it is the less light / lumen output until you have just a flicker. HO's will fire at 20 to 30 below zero F. Try Home Depot or Lowes. They are called 2 lamp - 8' strip - H.O.'s. If buzzing noise or 60 cycle flicker is a problem for you, an electronic ballast fluorescent is a nice choice. Depending on how extreme cold we are talking about, they should work down to about 10 F.
Note: all fluorescent fixtures ( except electronic ballast ) have 60 cycle flicker and to some degree buzzing of some sort.

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Thanks, I live in S.C., so it doesn't get too cold here. Below freezing a few times in the winter months is all.

budhayes3 · January 9, 2005

When I turn on the lights in my mother's garage in the winter, it takes some time for the lights to really start to glow...they'll be dim for a while then slowly illuminate. Takes a couple of minutes, I wonder what temp they're rated at. It can get pretty cold here in Jersey. Kinda sounds like what you're talking about Tom.

Wingnut · January 10, 2005

I may just be pulling this out of my arse, but I think it *might* be a little colder here than SC. I have 12 of the 4', 50F ones in my garage, and I have issues with them coming on about 3 times a year. It wasn't worth the extra expense to me.

I don't like to work in the cold, so I fire up the heater a few minutes before I go out there anyway...Kinda makes it a non-issue, because after the heater has been on for 5 minutes they fire right up.

/.02