florescent lights

[Moon]

Yeah, I'm guessing my cheapies are the same way. I couldn't find a starter either. We were building and these lights were a last minute addon. The budget was already running thin, so I went for the cheapo's. Once again, the old adage holds true, you get what you pay for.
I'll have to add light replacement to my indoor project list.
Thanks for the input all!

Moon of Ohio

 

[bontai_Joe]

As mentioned above, temperature makes a big difference in flourescent performance. I've got some old cheapos in my basement as well, and below 55 degrees F, they really don't work well. When I finally get around to replacing them, I'll get ones with cold temp rated starters (ballasts).

 

[PineRidge]

When I built my pole barn lighting was a big consideration. But since I only heat it when I'm working in it I didn't want to take a chance that the fluorescent tubes might not fire in the cold of a Ohio winter. My solution was to install 4 light switches that work incandescent as well as fluorescent tubes independently. I use the bank of incandescent bulbs when it's cold until the pole barn is warmed up by the overhead Reznor unit heater, I then fire up the bank of fluorescent lights and kill the incandescent bulbs. This solution has always worked for me.

 

[cj7]

Another tip for faster warm-up in the cold. Install tube guards. These are clear plastic sleeves with an endcap. They are mainly used in food processing areas to keep the lamp from going all over the place if it somehow becomes broken.
The guards keep the heat in that the lamps generate. Thus faster warmup. I am a lighting contractor and we do this sometimes. Also make sure that your balllast whether Magnetic or Electronic is rated for a zero degree start temp. It is marked on the ballast label.

 

[BillyP]

If you guys need fluorescent lights for colder applications, try the high output (HO) lights.

High output HO & VHO linear fluorescent light bulbs

 

[_RaT_]

As one who has installed thousands of flourescent lights from the smallest electronic to the HO and VHO fixtures, I find that while the HO and VHO will definitely provide you with more lumens, they also have a pretty high ballast failure rate in hot conditions (ceilings in the summer). They are typically used outdoors for sign lighting. You can lamp with freezer bulbs which work in cold situations. Nowadays, I pretty much use nothing but electronic ballasts and T8's in either 3400 or 4000 kelvin or spec 34 or spec 40 bulbs. I find the combination of good electronic ballasts and high quality lamps like Sylvania, Phillips etc. (about $3.00 a bulb) give great light both lumens and color and a grat life span of 20,000 hours plus. The cold will always make any flourescent dim at first, the better quality will come to specs as they warm up. A 4' flourescent bulb at .99 cents from HD or Lowes is really not a bargain except for those whoose main criteria is initial cost. Go electronic ballast, go name brand bulb and your chances for failure diminish. Rat...