[Chris Curl]

I bought some 100w equivalent full spectrum (daylight) CFL bulbs on sale and put them in the shop. Wow, the quality of the light is much better than the soft-white ones that I had in there before.

Next time you need bulbs, you might consider the daylight versions of whatever bulbs you normally use. There is a noticeable difference for the better.

They do take some getting used to though.

 

[durdyolman]

Do the come in 8' fluorescent?

 

[cabinetman]

I bought some 100w equivalent full spectrum (daylight) CFL bulbs on sale and put them in the shop. Wow, the quality of the light is much better than the soft-white ones that I had in there before.

Next time you need bulbs, you might consider the daylight versions of whatever bulbs you normally use. There is a noticeable difference for the better.

They do take some getting used to though.

What kind of fixtures?

.

 

[Chris Curl]

i imagine they come in 8' flourescent, but i don't know.

i have a couple of simple ceramic single bulb bare (uncovered) sockets in the ceiling. i use three Ys in each to make them hold 4 bulbs each. Even then, they are still only drawing the equivalent of a single 100w bulb, but it is more like 400w of light.

 

[Chris Curl]

the complaint i always have with regular lighting is that it is difficult to see a difference between dark blue and black. with the full spectrum lights, it is easy to see the difference. so the regular lights must not have enough blue light in them.

 

[cabinetman]

I've always used 8' fluorescents (T-12) with cool white. I tried daylight, and they don't seem to cast the correct light for finishing. Some of those fixtures have gone to T-8, like in 4' fixtures. They seem to put the same light out as a T-12.

A few of the CFL's I've tried in screw in fixtures do seem to have good lighting, I just haven't tried them for shop work. I think the next wave for lighting might be LED's...maybe not. They sure make better flashlights.

.

 

[Acercanto]

I've been getting the HD Cree 60watt-equivalent bulbs whenever I'm able to. They have daylight and warm white versions. I got one of both, and prefer the warm white ones and now have 4 or 5 of them. I was in there recently, and noticed they have a 75 watt bulb out now too! I can't wait for them to come down in price a bit as well.

Acer

 

[tc65]

Do the come in 8' fluorescent?

I'm pretty sure they do, but they are expensive.


LED lights will probably be the future, but it's going to take a while until they are really affordable. Right now you can buy (or have made) LED lights in just about any wavelength or combination you want.

Lots of places are marketing LED lights with very specific wavelength combinations for growing plants indoors. Unfortunately they are about 10 times the cost of equivalent florescent fixtures and the only people who can afford them are growing illegal cash crops.

 

[Chris Curl]

the more i use these, the more i realize how much yellow is in the other lights. it has been overcast alot lately, but we had some sunlight today, and the new bulbs are much closer to that light than are the regular ones.

it definately takes some getting used to.

the ones i got were on sale at HD ... a pack of 4 bulbs. 25w each (100w equivalent) was $5.

 

[daveinjersey]

See some "full-spectrum" fluorescents here:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...orescent-Light-Bulbs-10-Pack-205047/100613495

Actually, I just checked and see I have these. The 8 footers, anyway. Sometimes a 100 watt incandescent work light, too - not a "soft white", I don't think. No complaints, anyway.

 

[Woodenhorse]

I all has to do with color temperature (measured in Kelvins). Typical house hold incandescent bulbs are around 2700 degrees - 3200 degrees Kelvin. Daylight is considered 5000 degrees - 5500 degrees Kelvin. For critical color matching the standard is 5000 degrees Kelvin. As you go lower in the Kelvin scale the colors become warmer until you reach the infrared range. At the opposite end you go into the ultraviolet range. A full spectrum bulb would include light from the entire scale from infrared to UV. Standard fluorescent bulbs are more greenish (lacking most of the red spectrum) while household illumination tends toward yellowish-orange and daylight towards blue. That's why there are so many choices in fluorescent bulbs to vary the color output. Ever notice those nice cabinets with the wonderful color look not so nice once installed? Change the bulbs and you'll notice a big improvement. Lighting is very important to what we do, not just from ease on the eyes standpoint.