flourescent light fixtures - t8 - WTF??

parabolic

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ok - as im progressing in my arcade construction its time to get some troffers for the blacklighting. I cant seem to find any t12 2x4' troffers anywhere. Everything is t8. Of course they dont sell t8 black lights (locally at least)
so what do you guys with black light lit arcades do??
Just curious - hoping for a solution.
It looks like im buying the t 8 fixtures then ordering bulbs. then pitching the 4 t12 bulbs and fixtures I already have :(
let me say this - Im runing a drop ceiling with the troffers that fit right between the rails. (the fixtures I have for the t12 bulbs are just single bulb exposed fixtures).
 
T1s and T8 is just the bulb diameter. You should be able to put a T8 bulb into a T12 fixture with no problems. They even use the same ballast and starter.

It's no different than replacing a marquee bulb that was an F15T12 with an F15T8.

Now, if you are trying to buy fixtures for your T12 bulbs, you may find that the T8 fixtures are a little smaller and the bulbs don't fit properly...
 
As for buying locally, I'm lucky to have a Light Bulb Shop in town, so I can just buy it there or order it from them...
 
The 2x4 troffers I bought can accept either T8 or T12 bulbs. I do use all T8 black lights in my fixtures though-- which I know you have seen. :D

You may even be able to find new sockets for whatever size bulb you plan on using and just rewire them into your existing troffers. I don't think the troffer size is any different for one wired for T12 than T8.
 
I've never heard the term "troffer" but if that's just a florescent fixture, I bought mine dirt cheap at home depot. A dual T12 4' fixture was like $9.
 
I've never heard the term "troffer" but if that's just a florescent fixture, I bought mine dirt cheap at home depot. A dual T12 4' fixture was like $9.
Troffer is the complete fixture that usually mounts in a drop ceiling with a full housing, frame, and lens.
662401335848lg.jpg

I too have the $9 ones right now that just hold exposed bulbs. but since Im putting in a drop ceiling, Im going for a cleaner way to hang the lights.
I just wish I could find locally some that accept t12 bulbs.

Yah Kevin, Ive seen yours - although I dont really remember them - LOL! Im sure you could dig up one of your pics to refresh my memory!
Do you have 4 bulbs in each or 2?
 
Gotcha. I have heard on here that the diffuser panel cuts down on the UV significantly, leading to less blacklight glow. No idea if it's true but something to think about.
 
Yah Kevin, Ive seen yours - although I dont really remember them - LOL! Im sure you could dig up one of your pics to refresh my memory!
Do you have 4 bulbs in each or 2?

Per your request...

The arrangement is quite different since you last saw it and I tore out a wall to expand. I do have 4 bulbs in each of the 4 fixtures. I was going to wire the fixtures so that one switch controlled 2 of the bulbs in the fixture and another switch would control the other two bulbs (both black and white bulbs in the same fixture). That way I could have all black lights controlled by a switch and another switch control the white lights. I chose against that because I wanted as much black light as possible as I did not know what the diffusers would do to the blacklight. To me it really does not degrade the blacklight much at all. So I chose to add additional fixtures for the white lights. So in all total 8 fixtures with 4 bulbs each (16 blacklights, 16 white lights). Oh, and one more fixture for the expansion area -- so 20 blacklight blubs of pure pleasure.

The lights......

DSC04321.jpg


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And here are a couple where I was playing around with shutter delay on the camera.

DSC04312.jpg


DSC04306.jpg


Normal with flash.

DSC04315.jpg
 
Kevin,
Looks NICE!! I ended up going to lowes tonight and getting 2 of the $37 troffers to experiment with. Wouldnt you know that the t12 bulbs DO fit as stated earlier. So bonus for me. I rigged one up with 2 bulbs - looks ok. I have 2 rooms - 1 is 16x16 the other is 16x 22. Id like to try and get away with 4 fixtures in each - hopefully. Is there much of a diffrence running 4 bulbs over just 2 in each fixture? with white light id say yes, but with BL??
Also, what kind of reflector do you have behind the bulbs? I (will) have a black ceiling and dont want 4 white "holes" in it. was going to paint the reflectors "chrome" to bounce more light. - would that work - and be safe?
Then instead of normal diffusers I was going to use this:
Plastic_egg_crate_light_diffuser.jpg

most likely in chrome - should let the light through but still look good.
Now to try and find some! LOL!
 
Do the hardware stores still sell the kind of fixtures used in marquee lights with the old-style ballasts?

I'd heard last year that the feds were ordering that the old style ballasts be discontinued and since then I've heard nothing but complaints about the new styles that don't seem to be as durable.

Do they still sell the old style with the old ballasts?
 
the old-style ballasts can be bought at home depot. The new fixtures have electronic ballasts now that don't need starters...
 
the old-style ballasts can be bought at home depot. The new fixtures have electronic ballasts now that don't need starters...

And do the new fixtures for arcade games automatically suck or is it just some of them like the ones at Wal Mart?

I've read some stuff here indicating that the new ones don't last nearly as long as the old style ones but I wasn't sure if this was a general rule or applied to only some of them.
 
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