shop light... t-8 or t-12?

[HaleMoana]

Cool. I'll probably copy you. Thanks for sharing!

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[VNCNT]

Cool. I'll probably copy you. Thanks for sharing!

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haha. go for it. very inexpensive lighting. you won't regret it.

 

[Ryan_R]

Can a T-8 fixture also power T-12 bulbs? I thought they could?

The T-12's may not physically fit in the fixture (it's wider tube than the T-8, though the pins are the same). I also learned that a T-12 fixture may not like T-8's.... it's all about the ballast: Some will run both T-8's and T-12's, some will just do one or the other.

I made a dual light "fixture" with a Lowe's 2xT-12 shop light, three 48" lengths of wood (pine, I think), and a tube of liquid nails. I disassembled the fixture, screwed it to one wood panel (to be the top), reassembled the fixture, then "liquid-nailed" the other wood boards sideways to the above board to make a "front" and a "back" to hold the light up over the tank. Pretty "ghetto", but works fine. A little wood stain, and a little more effort, and I bet it could look OK.

-Ryan

 

[VNCNT]

The T-12's may not physically fit in the fixture (it's wider tube than the T-8, though the pins are the same). I also learned that a T-12 fixture may not like T-8's.... it's all about the ballast: Some will run both T-8's and T-12's, some will just do one or the other.

I made a dual light "fixture" with a Lowe's 2xT-12 shop light, three 48" lengths of wood (pine, I think), and a tube of liquid nails. I disassembled the fixture, screwed it to one wood panel (to be the top), reassembled the fixture, then "liquid-nailed" the other wood boards sideways to the above board to make a "front" and a "back" to hold the light up over the tank. Pretty "ghetto", but works fine. A little wood stain, and a little more effort, and I bet it could look OK.

-Ryan

i agree. the pins are the same for t8 and t12, so technically, you could use either bulb in a fixture. it is the ballast that matters. some are made for t8 or t12 or both. if the wrong bulb is being used for a certain ballast, there will be failure somewhere down the line.

i also thought of making myself a canopy/fixture. it wouldn't be very hard. just make a wooden box without a back panel... i just don't have the time with school at the moment.