I sense another rip-off coming...

[MushCreek]

Watch what happens with 4 foot fluorescent bulbs in the future. About a year ago, I removed (2) two-light fixtures in our kitchen, and replaced them with single bulb T-12 strip lights. One of them died (already!) but when I went to buy a replacement, they no longer seem to carry them. Now they are all T-8 type. Same thing happened with my shop lights. Last fall, I hung a couple T-12 shop lights in the barn. When I went to get a couple more recently, there wasn't much selection for T-12 fixtures. I couldn't find one with a pull-chain switch at all. The gist of all this is that they seem to be phasing out T-12 fixtures in favor of T-8's. Fine. But the bulbs aren't interchangeable, so now I would have to keep two kinds of bulbs on hand. And what do you want to bet that T-12 bulbs will eventually become hard-to-get and expensive? I currently own and use about 18 T-12 fixtures between our two properties. Am I expected to junk all of those fixtures in favor of the T-8's? And when I do, what is my assurance that we won't then get forced into yet another technology, and then the $(^$Y&*  T-8's will be obsolete! At least the CFL scam doesn't require new light fixtures.

I was so annoyed that I replaced the ballast in the kitchen light, and bought two T-12 shop lights, and added a switch myself. It seems like they change technology more often these days so you either have to re-fit or wind up with obsolete equipment. Grrrr.

[MountainDon]

http://cleantechnica.com/2012/03/27/say-goodbye-to-t12-fluorescent-lamps-businesses-get-your-rebates-now/


http://ateam.lbl.gov/Design-Guide/DGHtm/historyandproblemsoft12fluorescentlamps.htm

[MushCreek]

The big box stores were more than willing to sell me T-12 equipment a year ago, with no warning that I was going down a dead-end street. As a matter of fact, they still some of that equipment, and still no hint of the changes already happening. Well, at least the rest of you are now fore-warned....

[Huge29]

My employer was approached by a contractor two years ago warning us of all of this coming.  We were running 4 T-12's in each fixture, wasting lots of power.  They replaced with two T8's with plenty of light and with such power savings the power company, Pacificorp, paid for about half of the equipment and install, we save about 30% each month, have all new equipment, would have to change anyways eventually.  I think they could not make the 12's after last July and then can't sell them at all after next July or something like that.  The power company will rebate $20 each fixture that only uses the higher efficiency bulbs; cost of shop fixtures (with cold start) is only $20 so not a bad deal, just have to buy the bulbs.