New Lights for the Self Serve

[lighthousecarwash]

The local power company here in Missouri has a similar program, but they only wanted to sign up customers that burn lights during the day, and my self serve bays were considered "outdoor" lighting. It was a total no go when I replaced all my lights. Good thing was that changing to the 8' FL lights saves me around 200-250 bucks per month, so I'm still happy.

Thanks,
Lighthouse.

 

[Wet Spot]

I am using a T-8 four 4ft bulbs (2 rows end to end) to give me an eight foot light.

The reason I chose the 4 ft bulbs was cost. Each one is about $1.50 each. The fixture also has only one ballast for all 4 bulbs. It is very cheap to replace (one ballast instead of two).

The eight foot T-8 bulbs were at least $6 or $7 dollars each. Not as popular. The T-5 bulbs are about $3.50 each.

The other reason I went with the T-8 instead of the T-5 was energy savings. The T-5 does use more energy (54 watts per bulb) and is in fact "brighter" than the T-8 counterpart(T-5 about 4000 lumens per bulb T-8 about 3000 lumens per bulb), but since I spent over $3,000 to replace 16 lights (2 for each bay - 8 bays total), I wanted to save money on the upfront cost (the T-8 bulbs and fixtures were cheaper than the T-5's) and more importantly the monthly energy costs.

Two T-5 fixture would use 216 watts total (4 bulbs X 54 watts) or 432 watts per bay.

Two HO fixtures will run 480 watts per bay.

A regular HO fluorescent fixture will give you a great deal of light, but will cost you dearly for ballasts, bulbs, and electricity costs. HO ballasts are very expensive as are the bulbs themselves.

The T-8's I used are rated at 32 watts each. 4 for each fixture would be 128 watts or 256 watts per bay. I was using two 175 MH per bay which was 350 watts per bay. Simple math gives you a 27% savings (256/350 watts= .73 or 27% less. If I went with the T-5 fixtures, I would end up spending more than if I stuck with the 175 MH. 216 watts X 2= 432 watts to 175 watts X 2=350 watts.

As I stated in my last post, I saw a savings of about 30% on electric bill.

There are probably 20 or 30 different ways to light your bays MH, HO fl, T-8, T-5, LED, etc. etc. etc........ you just have to pick one.

Were did you get your T-8's, and do they sell them in a 4ft 2 bulb fixture. I curently have 4four 8ftrs in each bay, and plan on possibly just replacing each fixture with a 4ft fixture with 2 bulbs, just not sure if thats enough light. I just started a post with what I currently have and my goals. Any help would be great.

thanks
Matt

 

[Randy]

Matt,
I have 2 8’ 2 Tube T-12 H.O fixtures per bay. Each of the T-12 H.O bulbs is rated at 110 watts. I run these lights 24/7 from early Oct to late March. My monthly power bill is around $200-$300 a month. In 28 years I’ve replaced 2 ballasts and every 18 months I replace all the bulbs, the bulbs cost me about $ a piece. I’m thinking about replacing the fixtures, they’re getting old and the lens are cracking with a 8’ 4 tube T-5 fixture from Kleen-rite http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-24666-8-2-light-t5-high-output-flourescent-light-120277v.aspx They also have a 4’ 2 tube T5 fixture http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-13510-4-2-light-t5-high-output-flourescent-light-120277v.aspx The place to buy your bulbs is from http://www.1000bulbs.com 4 8’ T12 fixtures per bay is a little over kill.

 

[soapy]

I was checking out the induction lighting section on Lithonia lightings website and the do not recommend induction lighting for any area where chemicals are present. The specifically mention carwashes as a bad environment for their induction lighting.
I am replacing my T12 HO 8 foot bulbs with T5 HO 4 foot bulbs in my detail shop. I will use 4- 4 foot T5 HO bulbs in place of the T12 HO 8 foot bulbs. SPecs for T12 HO are 110 watts with 12,000 lumens. The 4 T5 HOs will be 108 watts with a lumen output of 20,000. The T5s will also have a higher color rendering index (CRI) and better life retention of output through its life. WIth the higher CRI the human eye will perceive the light to be almost 3 times as bright.

 

[mjc3333]

Were did you get your T-8's, and do they sell them in a ft 2 bulb fixture. I currently have four 8ftrs in each bay, and plan on possibly just replacing each fixture with a 4ft fixture with 2 bulbs, just not sure if thats enough light. I just started a post with what I currently have and my goals. Any help would be great.

thanks
Matt

Matt

I bought them from my local electric supply house. Most any local supply company will have anything fluorescent.

Again, I went with the T-8 fixtures because of the cost savings.

T-5 lights will give you a brighter bay at night, it will also cost you in your electric bill and replacement costs of ballasts and bulbs. T-8 bulbs are cheaper as are the ballasts and the initial cost of the fixtures themselves plus the wattage rating of each bulb is less.

The T-8 four foot bulbs I used are rated at 32 watts each (the T-5 bulb is rated at 54 watts each). There are 4 in each fixture for a total of 128 watts. Each fixture is 8 feet long with two rows of T-8 bulbs end to end. Basically it is like having two four foot fixtures put together as one eight foot fixture.

Each fixture has only one ballast. Each ballast is a quick start electronic type.

The bulbs work in our cold climate ((10 winter -90 summer) degrees Fahrenheit).

I am saving over 30% on my electric bill by just replacing the two 175 MH fixtures with two of these T-8 fixtures.

 

[Rudy]

Randy...

I got two of the KleenRite 4-foot T-5's in one of my Automatic bays. So far, I love them. They appear to put out about the same light as the 175MH they replaced.

FWIW, I think KleenRite has changed the supplier for the fixture. I was told that the supplier for my fixtures is out of business, but that they have found a nearly identical supplier.

 

[soapy]

I noticed on the T5 fixtures I just bought for $45 each that you can use any bulb from 32 watts up to 54 watts without changing the ballast. T5 bulbs are within $3 of a T* bulb now and will continue to close the gap in the future.

 

[seattleguy]

I'm using the 4 bulb fixture. The bulbs are the 54w T5's...with such a high wattage rating, I'm confused about how much energy I'm really saving.

I am ordering these. the 4 bulb fixtures are the 8 footers. Do you have 2 or 4 fixtures per bay?

 

[Earl Weiss]

I am ordering these. the 4 bulb fixtures are the 8 footers. Do you have 2 or 4 fixtures per bay?

Not addressed to me but i think people need to keep in mind needs are different for an IBA, SS Bay, or tunnel.

Since the customer stays in the car in the IBA or tunnel, I think one 320 scots dale light on the ceiling every 15 feet or so, or a four footer on each sidewall in the center of a 25' bay may do it. Thisputs the light where needed in the area of the driver / center of the bay.

For a SS I don't think 2 lights, one on each sidewall will cut it. It won't illuminate the sides down low enough all the way to the fron & rear as well as the front and rear of the car for the customer to see what they are doing.

Some guys use 2 ceiling lights like 320 watt Scottsdales Kitty corner but have White covered FRP or some material giving great reflection. Others here started with one 8 foot tube on each sidewall and then had to add more.

I inherited a place with 4, four foot HO fixtures, two on each sidewall about 8 foot high, seperated by about 8 feet. Assume for the moment a 4 foot light will throw light 4 foot to either end, this gives a spread of 24 feet alongeach wall suffcient to fully illuminate the sides and ends of the car.
The double four foot HO fixtures give plenty of light and at 60w per bulb it's 120 per fixture and 480 per Bay.

So, your cost to operate is a little more than 2, four tube T5s which would be 216 watts each or 432 per bay, but the dispersion is better. less to operate than two 320 W Scottsdales at 640 Watts. More than some suggest with regard to 2 eight foot fixtures, but for an SS bay I don't see how you would get the dispersion. Both along the ceiling in line for an IBA or tunnel I could see.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I have two four bulb 4' fixtures kitty corner and they light the place up like the sun. I have had numerous compliments, but keep in mind I had some pretty old MH's. Sidenote, I'm just illuminating block. Its ridiculously bright.

 

[sparkey]

Randy...

I got two of the KleenRite 4-foot T-5's in one of my Automatic bays. So far, I love them. They appear to put out about the same light as the 175MH they replaced.

FWIW, I think KleenRite has changed the supplier for the fixture. I was told that the supplier for my fixtures is out of business, but that they have found a nearly identical supplier.

I also just installed two kleenrite 4' T5s 54 watt in place of my 175W metal halides. They appear just as bright as the metal halides.

 

[seattleguy]

I put my order in today!

 

[Kirb]

I recently installed 4- 8ft T-5 from Kleenrite. During the day I run half of the bulbs in each fixture and at dusk the other bulbs come on. Looks great day and night and would highly recommend the kleenrite fixtures.