Track Lighting

[Anonymous]

Jim,

If you are going to buy that many lights then you might make sure that you get the right color temperature and CRI for the results you want

Direct sunlight corresponds to about 5300 Kelvins while daylight, which has the blue from the sky mixed in, is typically 6000 Kelvins or above.

Sources with very distorted colors will have low CRI. In general, the higher the CRI the more natural the appearance of the source and the richer colors appear.

See

http://www.gelighting.com/na/business_lighting/education_resources/learn_about_light/color_specifying.htm

and other sites for more info on these issues.

-John

 

[jrbernier]

  After a second visit to the store, and reading the manufacturers web site info:

• 40 Watt 48" tube(cool white) - 3200 lumens(6400 lumens with a 48" twin fixture)
• 40 Watt CFL - 2600 lumens(5200 lumens with 2 cans on a 48" track)

  My layout is 75' along the walls of a 20' by 25' 'layout room'.  Most of the layout scenes are 24" to 30" wide.  I have the 'bright white' CFL's in a dining room fixture and they do give out a nice bright 'non-yellow' glow.

  The current layout has 7 double 48" tube fixtures(44,800 lumens) suspended from the ceiling joists.  I am installing a 'CeilingMAX' grid system(not suspended, so I only lose on 1" of headroom, but gain a lot of reflected 'white').  I can 're-hang' the present 7 fixtures from the runners, or go to a 'H Track' line voltage system.  With 60' of track, I can hang 30 cans and put out 78,000 lumens of light!  My feeling is that I can 'spot' specific dim areas and also get good general coverage.  The new 'white' ceiling should help scatter the light.  The total cost for materials(track, cans, connectors and power hoods is about $370(hope that $600 'stimulus' check arrives soon).   3 of the 'old' fixtures will be hung from the runners to provide general room lighting.  The other 4 will become 'garage sale' material......

Jim Bernier

 

[jbinkley60]

 

You can get dimmable CFLs.  They cost more but are available

 

[BurbankAV]

I concur with most of what's been said: from a heat/power draw standpoint, you'll have no problem.  Might I suggest, in fact, that you push a bit on the concept: go to a fourth fixture on the track.  That will keep your light from being so spotty, and you'll have no complaints about the amount of light you get.

Since I'm still in benchwork, I'm using the cheapest CFLs I could find -- but I've got a dozen 13W units lighting three walls of a 10x10 room -- and the place glows!  Best of all, the room stays cool, and I'm using less energy than my wife does to light the kitchen (she nixed the CFLs in there on Day One)

The real advantage of the track lighting (especially with CFLs) is that if you've got a dark spot, or just need more light in a specific area, you can just add another can (and with CFLs you really have to load up before you start pushing electrical capabilities...)

My (inflation, you know...)

Peter 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Around here they claim that a 23watt CFL equals a 100 watt incandescent. THEY LIE TOO!  I use CFLs professionally and have tried many types.

Not even close regardless of daylight type, warmed up or not. I once checked with a lightmeter but I can't recall the exact numbers.

The 23 watt is equal (supposedly) to a 75 watt incandescent. The 27 watt is equal (again supposedly) to a 100 watt incandescent.

[BlueHillsCPR]

When they say a 28watt CFL is equal to a standard 100 watt bulb, THEY LIE!
I just got a pack and they're not even as bright as a 60 watt. (these aren't the daylights though)

Around here they claim that a 23watt CFL equals a 100 watt incandescent. THEY LIE TOO!  I use CFLs professionally and have tried many types.

Not even close regardless of daylight type, warmed up or not. I once checked with a lightmeter but I can't recall the exact numbers.

Bottom line: You will need more CFLs than you think.

They do generate some heat from the ballast (but not much). 

They do not dim

The light is less spread out than tube types.

The savings in electricity and heat over incandescents in a large room is substantial.

Lifespan varies but is not as long as expected (more creative advertising).

Every tool has advantages and disadvantages. 

To answer the original question. 1) No three won't do it.  2) The cans can easily handle the heat. 

I think CFL's are a good way to go.

[larak]

When they say a 28watt CFL is equal to a standard 100 watt bulb, THEY LIE!
I just got a pack and they're not even as bright as a 60 watt. (these aren't the daylights though)

Around here they claim that a 23watt CFL equals a 100 watt incandescent. THEY LIE TOO!  I use CFLs professionally and have tried many types.

Not even close regardless of daylight type, warmed up or not. I once checked with a lightmeter but I can't recall the exact numbers.

Bottom line: You will need more CFLs than you think.

They do generate some heat from the ballast (but not much). 

They do not dim

The light is less spread out than tube types.

The savings in electricity and heat over incandescents in a large room is substantial.

Lifespan varies but is not as long as expected (more creative advertising).

Every tool has advantages and disadvantages. 

To answer the original question. 1) No three won't do it.  2) The cans can easily handle the heat. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

It also takes them a few minutes to come up to full brightness.

[loathar]

When they say a 28watt CFL is equal to a standard 100 watt bulb, THEY LIE!
I just got a pack and they're not even as bright as a 60 watt. (these aren't the daylights though)

[Anonymous]

• Will 3 of the 23 watt flourescent 'bulbs' on a 4' track provide the same illumination as the two 40 watt tubes in the old setup?
• How much 'heat' will these new bulbs give off, and will the cans handle it? 

According to the chart below:

3 23 watt CFLs would equal 225 watt incandescent

2 40 watt flourescent tubes would equal about 300 watt incandescent.

So, no the light would probably not be the same.  The tubes also provide a wide source of light while the CFLs are more "spotty."  However you can add additional cans if you wish. 

 

• 20 watts incandescent = 5 watts compact fluorescent
• 28 watts incandescent = 7 watts compact fluorescent
• 36 watts incandescent = 9 watts compact fluorescent
• 40 watts incandescent = 10 watts compact fluorescent
• 52 watts incandescent = 13 watts compact fluorescent
• 60 watts incandescent = 15 watts compact fluorescent
• 75 watts incandescent = 20 watts compact fluorescent
• 100 watts incandescent = 26-29 watts compact fluorescent
• 150 watts incandescent = 38-42 watts compact fluorescent
• 250-300 watts incandescent = 55 watts compact fluorescent

Heat from a CFL is almost nil so heat would never be a problem for using CFLs in a fixture designed to handle the heat from an incandescent light.

More info here:

http://www.gelighting.com/na/business_lighting/faqs/cfl.htm#10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp

If you are planning to put up a valance then CFLs can work well behind a valance but if you are still planning to have an flat ceiling then tubes are very much more efficient and cheaper.

-John

 

 

 

[jbinkley60]

The cans should be able to handle the heat. I use the 27 watt daylight compact flourescent bulbs. They put off the light of 100 watt incandescent bulbs but are cool enough that they can be held in the hand without much discomfort. If you're going to use the CF bulbs get the 'daylight' type. The others put out a yellowish light that won't do your layout justice. The daylight bulbs put out a white light that really makes the colors on your layout stand out.

I concur on the CFLs.  I couldn't find any daylight types locally (in the floodlight style for track lighting).  I ordered some from buylighting.com .  They arrived in a couple of days.  They have a wide selection of bulbs.  I ordered the 5100k R30 bulbs. 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The cans should be able to handle the heat. I use the 27 watt daylight compact flourescent bulbs. They put off the light of 100 watt incandescent bulbs but are cool enough that they can be held in the hand without much discomfort. If you're going to use the CF bulbs get the 'daylight' type. The others put out a yellowish light that won't do your layout justice. The daylight bulbs put out a white light that really makes the colors on your layout stand out.

[jrbernier]

  I am looking at replacing my 7 flourescent fixtures in the train room with 'track lighting' and after a trip to Home Depot/Lowes/Menards, I have found some pretty basic 'H' track lighting material.  I plan to use the 'line votage' type, but want to use the new 'green' coiled tube flourescent  'bulbs' in the cans.  I found track cans that take 75 watt lamps.  A couple of questions:

• Will 3 of the 23 watt flourescent 'bulbs' on a 4' track provide the same illumination as the two 40 watt tubes in the old setup?
• How much 'heat' will these new bulbs give off, and will the cans handle it? 

Jim Bernier