# My CFL shop light mod



## BatteryCharger (Feb 7, 2006)

Thought you guys would like to see this.  I got tired of replacing the tubes in my POS Lights of America shop light. So, I yanked out the ballasts and replaced them with 5 screw in light sockets. ($1.39 each) Pop in some CFLs and viola! More light than before, quicker startup, much longer bulb life, and when they burn out I don't have to go out of my way to dispose of 4' tubes. The CFLs are 14 watts, I got boxes of them a few years ago for free when the power company was giving out $6 coupons for them. I'll probably replace them with 20 watt bulbs next time I see them on sale for a buck each...












Now I just have 4 more to do. :laughing:


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## James S (Feb 7, 2006)

nice!

I also modded my shoplights lately, but I bought some electronic T8 ballasts from eBay and replaced the ancient low power factor magnetic T12 bulb ones with these and I am very happy with the output of the T8 tubes.

It's probably a bit simpler mod to do than put all those sockets in  But if you already have a box of CF bulbs to use then that makes this the cheaper solution, and I'll bet they do put out a huge amount of light!

I've only got 1 T12 bulb fixture left in the house I haven't modded yet (bought a box of 10 ballasts) and I am so happy to be rid of the dim, flickery, short tube life too! Anything with a good electronic ballast, be it a CF or a good T8 driver will be WAY better than an old T12 magnetic ballast.


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## BatteryCharger (Feb 7, 2006)

Actually it only took about an hour, including the trip to home depot.  All I had to do was glue in the sockets and cut the cover in the center that hides the wiring. Now I just have to stop myself from getting 5 of those adapters that let you put two bulbs in one socket. :laughing:


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## BatteryCharger (Feb 7, 2006)

Does anyone know how many lumens the normal 25 watt 4' shop light tubes are? I'm curious how they compare lumen wise....


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## jtr1962 (Feb 8, 2006)

BatteryCharger said:


> Does anyone know how many lumens the normal 25 watt 4' shop light tubes are? I'm curious how they compare lumen wise....


Those 25 watt tubes are roughly 1800 to 2000 lumens, so figure the fixture, if it was driving the tubes to full brightness, might have been giving at most 4000 lumens, more likely only about 3500. A 14 watt CFL gives you about 840 lumens, so you're probably getting about 4200 lumens now. Still, a T8 shoplight would give you somewhat more, on the order of 5000 to 6000 lumens depending upon the ballast factor.

I do hope those aren't warm white CFLs. I'm not a fan of warm light anywhere, but it's especially inappropriate with a shoplight since you need light which keeps you alert, not which puts you to sleep. Interesting mod in any case, although from an operating cost and efficiency standpoint T-8 tubes are way better.


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## jtr1962 (Feb 8, 2006)

James S said:


> I also modded my shoplights lately, but I bought some electronic T8 ballasts from eBay and replaced the ancient low power factor magnetic T12 bulb ones with these and I am very happy with the output of the T8 tubes.


I'm glad to hear those ballasts are working out. Since they have a ballast factor of 1.15 you should be getting on the order of 3200 lumens per tube which is way more than those old T12 tubes.


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## James S (Feb 8, 2006)

JTR, I've been meaning to post back in that original thread and tell you how happy I was with them  But just haven't gotten around to it yet.

They are not instant start, like they say on the box, takes a much as 3 seconds to actually light, but once lit they are excellent. Nice and bright. 

I actually bought an inexpensive, but nice looking light for above my workbench in my office with the intent of putting one of the ballasts in there too, but it turns out that it wont fit in the case. That T8 fixture looks dim and anemic to me in comparison. 

in the garage I've got all cool white bulbs, and they are great. In my office however I have put in the warmer ones as the cool just clashed funny with the rest of the lighting in here.

I actually hung the fixture from some paracord on 3 pulleys so that when I'm working on something very small, like SMT stuff I can lower it down and get it closer to the work, while not bumping my head on it the rest of the time. I may still have to hack in one of these ballasts, just screw it to the outside of the case or something...

I apologize for hijacking your thread BatteryCharger  

As to those adaptors that let you put 2 bulbs in 1 socket, I think you SHOULD go out and get some!!! I've got 2 large lamps in our family room where the overhead lighting is either dim to non-existant, that i've done that to. I've 2 150 watt equivalent CF's in each lamp using one of those Y things and it really does help. And I'm still pulling about the same wattage as a 75 watt bulb. Amazing how much better you feel working in a place that is well lit! I want to see pictures of them with 10 CF's in each shoplight


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## yuandrew (Feb 8, 2006)

Sometimes, you can never have enough light

http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/hamster.htm


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