Picking Flourescent Lighting for Cold
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| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
I’m trying to upgrade several “cabins”, that are occupied seasonally, and not heated during the winter.
I would like to install efficient flourescent fixtures, to replace the incandescant bulbs, in ceramic surface mounts, in part for the energy savings, to get rid of the bare bulbs.
I have been purusing web sites looking for possiblities. But none of the sites are specify weather the ballast is electronic, or solid state.
I need to have these work occasionally in temperatures that will occaisionally get below zero, and think I need the solid state ballasts to get the lights fired when it is that cold.
So, if the fixture is using the new smaller bulbs, and are energy star rated, do they have electronic ballasts?
Replies
If you're talking about the skinny fluorescent tubes (T8 or T5), as far as I know they all use electronic ballasts which are generally rated for use down to 0 degrees F but you should make sure for the particular light fixtures you're looking at.
I've got lots of experience with CF bulbs in the cold.... I split wood every night in the Winter with CF bulbs lighting my wood shed area, a parking lot, and the exterior of our house. Our winter temps are typically around -5 (C) dipping to -20 (C).
Today's CF bulbs take about a minute to reach full brightness at these temps (I use the Phllips Daylight bulbs), but they work very well. You'll have no problem.
Scott.