Are you saying the fixtures that the bulbs go in are dying, rather than the bulbs?

My 2 48" shop light fixtures came from HD almost 3 years ago, and they've been plugging right along.

Yeah, I'd be frustrated if I were going back to HD every few months. Maybe if each one lasted 3 years, though, it'd be okay, considering how many hours a day each one is used.

Maybe a retail lighting place would have higher quality fixtures, or an online place.

Let me know what you find, in case mine go out next week. :)

Whitecat8

Then I went through a bunch of Lowe's shop lights several years ago. The fixtures would last about two to three weeks and croak, and Lowe's would give me a replacement, which also lasted a short period of time and croaked, and then another replacement which also last only a few weeks. They were different brands, so it wasn't just a defective run at the factory.

Turned out that the "new & improved" shop light with an electronic ballast has a lot of problems. It wasn't because it was so hot in the GH since the temperature was the same as in my house (75F). It wasn't because the humidity was so high in there because it was no different than my house and garage at that time (50%). The cheap electronic ballasts are just crap; that was the problem, and Lowe's no longer sold the old style magnetic ballast fixtures anymore.

But HD still carried them, and the fixtures I bought from them (specifically asking for a magnetic rather than an electronic ballast - they had both) have now been running trouble free for about four years. The magnetic were the same price as the electronic cheapies ($9-10).

This may or may not be your problem, but I sure hope HD is still selling the magnetic ballast type.

Chryss

-Bruce C.

You have exactly the same problem I had; they turn themselves off, they turn themselves on, they work when they want to, etc. I kept changing bulbs until my husband went out and checked the fixtures themselves. As a retired electrical engineer, he pronounced them 'crap' -- and probably dangerous as well.

Originally most of the HD economy shop light fixtures that were badged with "T8/T12 electronic ballast" had the Sunpark SL-15 ballast. Newer fixtures have not had the Sunpark ballast and I have not been using these, rather I have been replacing them with the Sunpark SL15 as I go. The Sunpark ballast is available for about 6 dollars shipped from Sunpark directly, and I have had only 1 ballast failure which was due to my own wiring error. Because of the high cost and heat of running so many fixtures in an overdriven configuration I have been switching out to more expensive GE or Sylvania electronic T8 ballasts that are high output. These are high efficiency ballasts that are giving me nearly the same light output with much less heat and reduced operation cost relative to the Sunpark ballasts. I have been getting them on Ebay for a considerable discount over purchasing from local sources.

All of my light banks are running through electronic or mechanical timers. In the Growing Under Lights forum several knowledgeable individuals have suggested that one of the leading causes of premature failure of these electronic ballasts is a failure to run them through a surge suppressor. I am attributing my nearly zero failure rate of my fixtures to this, as all of my fixtures are run from the timer through a surge suppressor extension. Apparently these electronic ballasts are very sensitive to fluctuations in the line electricity supply, and depending on the source can result in early failure of the ballast.

Richard

C-

I too had problems with the cheap shoplights dying prematurely on me. I vowed to stop buying them and treated myself to the T5 instead. I've also used CFL's, HID's and plain old windows. They all serve a purpose. I will not be buying shop lights any more - not worth the aggravation.

Good to see you back here! The presentation on Viruses in orchids today was very good!

--Stitz--

I had same question as you have before some days. But then i found one website for lighting fixtures. This site has lots of varieties in designer lighting.You should also visit http://www.directbuylighting.com/. You will find lots of fluorescent fixtures easily.

Thanks
Marry
LA,USA

I had same question as you have before some days. But then i found one website for lighting fixtures. This site has lots of varieties in designer lighting.You should also visit http://www.directbuylighting.com/. You will find lots of fluorescent fixtures easily.

Thanks
Marry
LA,USA