Save Money -- convert M.Halide to CFL??

[motefam]

Has anyone considered gutting their metal halide wallpacks and installing CFL fixtures/bulbs inside the fixture, for example replacing 175W MH bulbs with 50 or 60 watt CFL bulbs? (I saw the SSCWN article, but it didn't specifically address this).

 

[bigleo48]

If you do a search, you'll find this subject has been covered extensively. It's not easy to compare apples to apples here, because you need to look at the amount of light produced, color, electrical service and how your power company bills you. In my case, I found that the change and capital costs involved did not provide me with any real savings.

BigLeo

 

[MEP001]

Keep in mind that CFL produces half the light per watt of metal halide. If you drop the watts to 1/3 of what you're using now, you'll have about 20% of the light. You'd be better off configuring your lighting so you can turn off half the lights at midnight or whenever your customers quit coming in.

This is something else that's helpful from cameras. I've learned that there are never more than two paying customers between midnight and sunrise, so I'll probably start turning off the rear bay lights late at night. I figure it'll save $400 a year, not huge, but it can't hurt.

 

[bigleo48]

I wired my place for staged lighting like MEP wants to do. So half the lights between 11PM and dawn turn off. People can still clean and the place doesn't look abandoned. Never calculated how much I save, but every bit counts!

 

[robert roman]

While I was doing research for my presentation at NACS State of the Industry Summit in Chicago (saving costs at the carwash), I spoke with an expert at GE corporate office regarding the latest technology and trends in bay lighting. According to GE's guru, three 50w pulse start ceramic metal halite bulbs (similar to the ones that are being installed in most new gasoline canopies) will produce 30% more light, provide better color rendering and will last twice as long than two 400w old style metal halite bulbs.

Hope this helps.

Bob Roman
www.carwashplan.com

 

[Earl Weiss]

According to GE's guru, three 50w pulse start ceramic metal halite bulbs (similar to the ones that are being installed in most new gasoline canopies) will produce 30% more light, provide better color rendering and will last twice as long than two 400w old style metal halite bulbs.

.

Bob Roman
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I'd like to get more info on that. I thought all the new bulbs in gas stations were the 320 Watts like they use in the Scottsdales. Haven't heard anything about 50 watts replacing the canopy Bulbs.

 

[robert roman]

I was referring to the application of 50w lights in the wash bay (in-bay) and not the gasoline canopy. I'm sorry for the lack of clarity.

 

[Waxman]

Just put cplf in all my bays as well as over my changer/vendor. Loving it so far. May convert wall paks front and rear (6 total) to cpfl as well.

 

[MEP001]

Standard GE 400W metal halide: 33,100 lumens, 83 per watt
Standard GE 320W pulse start MH: 31,000 lumens, 97 per watt
105W compact fluorescent mogul-base adaptor: 6,900 lumens, 65 per watt

CFL's usually have a better quality output of light, but I don't think it makes up for the quantity from metal halide.

The 105W CFL I used for comparison is one of the best light-per-watt I could find - some are as low as 50 lumens per watt. The spiral shape seems to make them brighter, probably because the escaping UV light excites the outer phosphor coating around the spiral and makes more light.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Don't know the lumen rating but the wash I had was equipeed with 4 single tube 4 ft HO Flourescent fixtures, 2 on each side wall each about 4 feet in from the end and 4 feet apart. When the ballasts went bad, I found new fixtures at Grainger for $200.oo each, but they are 2 tube fixtures. The 4 ft. HO bulbs are 60 watts each. Where I have replaced them all in a bay it totals 480 watts. The arrangement gives great light and coverage due to the fixture layout.

However, all this ignores a different plan. A local operator has perimeter lighting using poles with 1000 watt MH heads. They are arranged to illuminate the lot AND shine into the bays (1 head aimed at each Bay) The place is lit like a baseball field and the actul in Bay lighting does not need to be as thorough. Anyone else try this?

 

[Sequoia]

Lighting

I use two compact fluorescent fixtures per bay. Lighting is outstanding and reliability has been good. I've replaced 2 or 3 bulbs in 2+ years.

The only modification I made before installing them is that I added lexan over the fixtures in case some kid with a BB gun took a shot at them.

Some folks are pretty adamant against this technology; however, it has worked really well for me.

http://www.ergonomiclighting.com/105AB.php

 

[bigleo48]

I guess with so many different technologies and performance, it's hard to compare to get the same lighting at a reduced cost. It would be great if there was a webpage or spreadsheet like the EPA's mileage comparator that at the end you get a difference in $ spent on gas when comparing two vehicles. That's what I'm looking for!

BigLeo

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

It would be great if there was a webpage or spreadsheet like the EPA's mileage comparator that at the end you get a difference in $ spent on gas when comparing two vehicles. That's what I'm looking for!

I SECOND THAT REQUEST!
In fact, I had started to create such a spreadsheet about 2 years ago. I gave up because 3 things confused me:
a) expected efficiencies at higher voltages did not match my measurements, which indicates to me that I dont understand something.
b) the color and temp differences among different types of lighting; I didnt know how to deal with that.
c) I suspect there is more I dont know.

In other words, I'm not an expert in electricity or lighting, and wasn't sure what I was doing, so I put it down. Didn't really trust my results, and didnt have the time to research.

My electric rates have gone up 35% in the last 12 months, and they're going to double again in January. So I'm back into "reduce electricity usage" mode again.