T12 light output

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: T12 light output
From: dallenb at feldspar_com (Douglas Bardell)
Date: Sat, 9 Dec 1995 11:16:40 GMT


>> The bottom line is
>> people prefer:
>> T8 bulbs in combination with an 
>> Electronic rapid start ballast.
>snip<

>Unless Dougs first measurements were made _after_ the initial 100 
>hour "burn-in" period, he was getting an artificially high reading 
>for that first measurement.  The initial lumen ratings for these 
>bulbs are _after_ burn-in.
>
        Ian is quite right reguarding the intial burn in time. I did not
consider this fact. The intial lumens were 2200, last night I measure in the
same manner the lumen were 1800 (new lights a couple of weeks old) compared
to 1700 after 6 months at 12 hrs/day. It looks as if there isn't quite the
drop in intensity that I fiqured on.

        BTW the local electrical wholesaler quote me prices of $16.35 per T8
bulb in case quanities of 30 bulbs and the electronic ballast at $32.95

        I will stick to my T12 bulbs at 1.89 each.

        Doug Bardell
        Garson, Ontario, Canada.
        Home page:http://www.feldspar.com/~dallenb