here goes the govt piddling around with stuff again!
i was at menards yesterday looking at fluorescent light fixtures they had on sale and i learned the government is banning t-12 bulbs and going with t-8
i cant even fathom how many schools, hospitals, businesses, etc. will have to swap out fixtures and/or bulbs.
i have six fixtures in my shop alone and another four in my patio and another six in my garage, thats thirty two bulbs!
How long does a T12 bulb (or ballast) last?
I have heard energy efficiency is between 17 and 48% greater with the T8 bulb.
Given the flinty nature of funding local schools, that could translate into more teachers over the course of a year.
Even at the low end, it's 5 years to free money for the change over - less if you have high consumption.
I use outdoor fixtures, with daylight color balanced CFCs in my shop. They cost me LESS than a new ballast in my overhead fluorescent bank.
(And I can't break bulbs inside the Lexan cover.)