Hi,
Can anyone recommend some inexpensive 48" fluorescent light fixtures (cheap, but not in quality - don't want cruddy ballasts)? I don't need a lot but everywhere I look they're pretty expensive...
Thanks,Peter
Peter A. Kazmir - Leander, TexasMopac isn't just a freeway in Austin!
Start with a "big box" store. like Home Depot, Lowes, or Menards., or whatever you have down there. I got mine at a Home Depot. One fixture, that holds 2, 48" bulbs was about $15 a piece. They are basic, I think they called them shop lights, they plug in, and hang from the ceiling with chains. They have been working fine for 3 years now. It's recommended that you leave them on for the first 24 hours, and that beaks in the ballasts. I removed the cords, and hard wired them to a switch.
Mike.
My You Tube
For most rooms in my house, I prefer dimmers. This holds for the train room as well. I can select the level of light I want, from full on for layout work and photography down to almost nothing for "night running" where most of the illumination comes from the structures and streetlights.
Mine are all still incandescents. For a new installation, though, I'd go with compact flourescent fixtures. The dimmable CFLs require different dimmers than flourescents, which is one reason I haven't changed over yet. They say the energy efficiency will pay for the conversion in the long run. But, of course, "they" say a lot of things.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I found $10 24" lfluorescent lights at IKEA with a frosted lens cover- they work really well. In my mind 2x48" is too bright at one place and dark at other places. I could not find them online right now or would have posted a link.
My idea is to use them liberally and turn some off for dimming.
Neeraj.
My hunch is that flourescent tubes may be phasing out over the next several years. Once LEDs come down in price I have to think that is where everything is going to go. The hassle of disposing of CFLs has yet to be resolved in my area.
Already the new fixtures I see in the stores are suited to the new thinner 4' tubes but I think the handwriting is on the wall.
Based on my experience, where due to some space limits I had to go with the U shaped tubes, I do not like those at all. The tubes seem to burn out too fast and the mechanical means of keeping the tubes connected to the sockets are not well designed IMHO. Avoid avoid avoid. It would ahve been better to go with straight two foot tubes instead.
I would say that if you do decide to go with 4 foot tubes, the best results in my basement come from fixtures that have four bulbs, not two. Two might be OK in a shoplight over a workbench but for layout purposes I can see how much dimmer the two bulb fixtures are versus 4 bulb fixtures.
Also the hinged covers are infinitely preferable to the utterly aggravating "sheet" type covers. Again that is just my opinion and experience.
Dave Nelson
Go with track lighting and CFL's. The fixtures are very cheap on e-bay (just learn all the names that use your system) and the tracks I get from the local big box hardware store. Bonus, as CFL's get phased out in the next 10 years and LED's come down in price, you unscrew one and screw in the other. Another bonus is you can get cheap CFL's and color correct with gels placed over the can opening!!!!!!!!!!!!
LED's will be the wave of the future for this. They are especially suited in that they make specific colors of light without any infrared or ultraviolet, in other words, no heat or fading scenery colors.
The advice to start with CFL's and eventually replace them with screw in LED's is very sound if you don't want the cost of going LED now.
I would stay away from long tube fluorescents.
Thanks for all the advice!
Given my layout and ceiling is average height, how far apart should I space them to avoid odd multiple shadows?
Also, what about tube LEDs (the kinds that replace T8 fluorescent tubes and use the same fixtures w/o the ballast)? Has anyone tried them? (And if so, which ones?)
Thanks!
Fluorescent lights produce UV radiation which will cause colors to fade and may have other undesired side effects such as causing plastics to degrade. If you choose to use fluorescent lights in your home, including your model railroad, it may be worthwhile to look into adding UV filters.
Everyone here has offered pretty good advice. I'll throw my hat in the ring too, having worked with bulbs and fixtures for a number of years.
-For an economical solution, lean toward CFLs with MEDIUM base sockets (not candelabra). Dimmable ones are out there if you need them, and yes, you do need a special CFL/LED dimmer for them (incandescent dimmers will cook the bulb, if they work at all).
-Don't spend too much time or energy pursuing fluorescent-tube-replacement LEDs; they're expensive and not easy to find.
-Use medium-base keyless lampholders ($1.50) and octagon boxes ($3.00) to make your fixtures. Cheap as dirt, common as fleas, and you can stick anything in there (incandescent, CFL, LED, they'll all fit).
-if you've got the dosh, go LED. Dimmable (mostly), plug into a standard medium socket, power efficient, and last forever (the good ones are rated to last more than 20 years).
-In a situation where the lights are being turned off and on fairly frequently, LEDs are king; every time a CFL is turned on, the ballast gets a touch weaker (sit and flick the switch back and forth, you'll kill a CFL in about 1/2 an hour). This sort of use doesn't affect the lifespan of LEDs at all.
-LEDs have no warm-up time; they come on at full brightness. CFLs can take up to five minutes to reach full output.
-spacing your lights about 3-4 feet apart gives great even coverage.
-when it comes to both CFLs and LEDs, quality varies enormously. You get what you pay for.
I currently use daylight 13 watt CFLs and they work great; would love to go LED, but they're still pricey and daylights are tough to find (soft whites and cool whites are everywhere). Using keyless lampholders means that when I DO go LED, it'll be a screw-out, screw-in changeover, easy as pie.
Hope this helps!
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Rastafarr Everyone here has offered pretty good advice. I'll throw my hat in the ring too, having worked with bulbs and fixtures for a number of years. -For an economical solution, lean toward CFLs with MEDIUM base sockets (not candelabra). Dimmable ones are out there if you need them, and yes, you do need a special CFL/LED dimmer for them (incandescent dimmers will cook the bulb, if they work at all). -Don't spend too much time or energy pursuing fluorescent-tube-replacement LEDs; they're expensive and not easy to find. -Use medium-base keyless lampholders ($1.50) and octagon boxes ($3.00) to make your fixtures. Cheap as dirt, common as fleas, and you can stick anything in there (incandescent, CFL, LED, they'll all fit). -if you've got the dosh, go LED. Dimmable (mostly), plug into a standard medium socket, power efficient, and last forever (the good ones are rated to last more than 20 years). -In a situation where the lights are being turned off and on fairly frequently, LEDs are king; every time a CFL is turned on, the ballast gets a touch weaker (sit and flick the switch back and forth, you'll kill a CFL in about 1/2 an hour). This sort of use doesn't affect the lifespan of LEDs at all. -LEDs have no warm-up time; they come on at full brightness. CFLs can take up to five minutes to reach full output. -spacing your lights about 3-4 feet apart gives great even coverage. -when it comes to both CFLs and LEDs, quality varies enormously. You get what you pay for. I currently use daylight 13 watt CFLs and they work great; would love to go LED, but they're still pricey and daylights are tough to find (soft whites and cool whites are everywhere). Using keyless lampholders means that when I DO go LED, it'll be a screw-out, screw-in changeover, easy as pie. Hope this helps! Stu
Could you repeat that in English again, didn't understand a word.
rrebellProblem with that is it is hard to change bulb location and gel fixtures are expensive. With track lighting, need more light, add can or increase wattage or move closer together, need less, do the opposite I will say that neither should be hard wired to the power but plugged in, not because it is unsafe but would be if someone put in incandescents in that quantity and cities don't like that!.
All true. Track lighting isn't a bad way to do it. If going that way, I'd look hard at what type of heads you're using. There's heads that use a medium-base socket -- which give the most flexibility -- and those that only fit halogen bulbs like a GU10 or MR16. Man, those halogens are like the sun; they could probably melt a loco shell from five feet away. Not layout friendly at all...
woodman Could you repeat that in English again, didn't understand a word.
Translation: Single bulb fixtures are cheap and work. Track lighting is slightly more expensive (though not by much) and more flexible. Changing light colours on track heads would be cheaper and easier than doing it on single-bulb fixtures.
Rebel, feel free to correct me if I got any of that wrong.
Hi all
My flouro's are 240v rather than 110 v which I believe is the US std for domestic supply ??
Mine are bare battens that is no diffuser fitted, I find the diffuser a ########### to get off and back on.
The bare fitting is cheaper than the diffuser fitting
However those small facts aside the advice I was given when I was purchasing train room lights, I think it is worth passing on.
Get your light fittings wire switches etc from an electrical supplier that way you have the guarantee that they are to the national standards and meet state regulations.
There will be some.
A lot of the stuff you get from the big warehouse hardware type stores may not meet that standard or regulation or not meet both.
Particularly avoid the very cheap weird brand name made in China and India stuff some of this junk is down right dangerous.
Stick with a reputable known brand even if it is slightly more expensive, its cheaper than a new house and replacing the model railroad after a fire.
State or National law and regulations of some sort will require it to be installed a particular way make sure it is.
If the law allows it (some countries do mine doesn't) and you have any doubts about self installation, get a qualified licensed electrician to install the lights.
Hope this is of help
regards John
All very good advice here. Let me add two comments. First, CFL's and fluorescent tubes have different color temperatures - a 'daylight' bulb is far different than a 'warm/soft white' bulb. This temperature will affect how various colors on the layout will look. My other comment is this - know what load is on the household circuit you planning to use. I added a separate breaker for my layout lighting because I was doubling the number of lights already on the existing circuit and didn't want to risk tripping a breaker. If you don't know, call in a licensed electrician.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
Rastafarr woodman Could you repeat that in English again, didn't understand a word. Translation: Single bulb fixtures are cheap and work. Track lighting is slightly more expensive (though not by much) and more flexible. Changing light colours on track heads would be cheaper and easier than doing it on single-bulb fixtures. Rebel, feel free to correct me if I got any of that wrong. Stu
I've used lots of T4 slim fluorescent lights. I've been getting most of them at https://www.slimfluorescent.com/
Greg Amer
The Industrial Lead
T4's were priced like gold-plated unicorn droppings when I last looked. Has the cost of them dropped at all?
I have four aluminum reflector lights with spring clamp mounts I bought at Walmart for $8 each. Add another $3-4 each for CFL's and I light a 14' x 14' layout shed. I may add a couple more to light the peninsula in the center. For night lighting I have a string of blue LED Christmas lights. Total cost was about $75. You can spend a whole lot more but I am satisfied with the amount of light these provide and the reflector lights can be aimed precisely to highlight a particular scene or area of the layout.
If you are near a Home Depot or Lowes, go to the store and check out their lower cost lighting ( HD that means Lithonia Lighting). What's in the store is not always what is on the web site.
I picked up a 2 light fixture with wrap around plastic diffuser for under $30. However that doesn't include power cords or switch or wiremold if needed. HD also has a 2 light linear strip for $40.
Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/
Rastafarr T4's were priced like gold-plated unicorn droppings when I last looked. Has the cost of them dropped at all? Stu
Thats hilarious :) I think they are pretty reasonable for what you get. $1.25 a foot give or take. They are slim, dead silent, easy to link up, and easy to attach to a valance. I have two runs attached to my valance, one with 6400K daylight bulbs and one with blue bulbs. I also have a few as lighting for my workbench.
I previously had a few 48" double tube fixtures I bought at Home Depot for around $20 each, lots of light, but bulky and buzzy.
Are you saying use CFLs in a track lighting fixture?
jimsabol Are you saying use CFLs in a track lighting fixture?
Yes.
Ditto yes!
Harold,
I'm glad that you posted your info as I didn't think .
Just a respectful "special" reminder to modelers that are/will be operating plated or metalized passenger trains. Remember that just like prototype stainless steel trains, rolling stock with a metalized finish, whether factory or with Alclad2, may look a bit "strange" to your eyes. This is why I've often suggested in my Alclad2 metalizing articles to go with lighting that more closely resembles natural daylight. You can see the differences in the photos below. The first was shot in fluorescent light, the 2nd with a warm white incandescent.
HaroldA All very good advice here. Let me add two comments. First, CFL's and fluorescent tubes have different color temperatures - a 'daylight' bulb is far different than a 'warm/soft white' bulb. This temperature will affect how various colors on the layout will look. My other comment is this - know what load is on the household circuit you planning to use. I added a separate breaker for my layout lighting because I was doubling the number of lights already on the existing circuit and didn't want to risk tripping a breaker. If you don't know, call in a licensed electrician.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Compact CLF spots work in track lighting; LEDs even better, but are pricey.
I'm just starting to experiment with these long (5M) LED strips so popular on Ebay. Run off of a 12V DC power pack, they're adjustable for dimming, & have multiple shades. No problem with brightness, either. I'm probably going to run another down the top corner to reduce shadows (or change them..)
BigPianoGuy,
Wow, that is impressive!
I've been reading about LED lighting for home and business use and it looks like it's the direction the light industry is headed. Since they're now available in realistic "daylight" color temperatures I'm very interested in using it in my layout room as well as other areas of my home .
But I'm not going to just jump in with both feet. I'll continue reading about the technology and ask consumers for "pro and con" feedback.