wattMaster
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Where can I find WW or Lite White F15T8 tubes? I don't want to be sold anything right now, so it will be more of a reference. But do Lite White tubes in this size even exist? I want these because I love their low CRI, it just makes everything have a unique look. I already have one WW tube that came with my GE fixture, but I would like a better quality one.
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« Last Edit: July 29, 2016, 09:52:10 AM by wattMaster »
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nicksfans
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Lite White F15T8s were not made except that someone here has an experimental one from the 70s or 80s. I found some quality /WW ones here but the shipping's gonna be killer if you only buy one. Sylvania blackenderPhilips blackenderNewer SylvaniaUnless you really want one right now, you're better off checking back at your ReStore periodically until one shows up. Generally, anything made in the USA, Canada, Holland, Germany, Poland, the UK, or Japan is going to be pretty good.
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I like my lamps thick, my ballasts heavy, and my fixtures tough.
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wattMaster
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And one more requirement, no ebay at all. And one more way to get WW tubes is to buy a bunch of a particular kind of GE fixture, they come with one.
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« Last Edit: August 02, 2016, 09:33:38 PM by wattMaster »
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wattMaster
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Recent GE F15T8s are made in Indonesia and are junk. Philips hasn't made a Warm White F15T8 in a while that I know of. Everything else is Chinese unless you get European lamps, which aren't made in halophosphate colors anymore.
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wattMaster
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Recent GE F15T8s are made in Indonesia and are junk. Philips hasn't made a Warm White F15T8 in a while that I know of. Everything else is Chinese unless you get European lamps, which aren't made in halophosphate colors anymore.
So this is a good quality WW tube.
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If you want a new, halophosphate Warm White F15T8, Sylvania is going to be the best quality. Some of the Chinese stuff is actually pretty decent but it's hit or miss depending on brand.
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wattMaster
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If you want a new, halophosphate Warm White F15T8, Sylvania is going to be the best quality. Some of the Chinese stuff is actually pretty decent but it's hit or miss depending on brand.
I suppose I will buy Sylvania for this. One more question, can you get the raw phosphor mix for Lite White?
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good223
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And one more requirement, no ebay at all. And one more way to get WW tubes is to buy a bunch of a particular kind of GE fixture, they come with one.
What's wrong with eBay? I'd encourage you to get your stuff there. It's the easiest way to buy vintage lamps if you don't mind the price.
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eBay is awesome for vintage lighting because of the wide selection, but you definitely pay a premium for most of that stuff. ReStores, on the other hand, are typically a lot cheaper, but you never know what they're going to have on a particular day. Craigslist is kind of a mix of the two.
And I suppose you could make a Lite White phosphor but you'd have to find out the ingredients and purchase them, not to mention actually making the lamp itself. Better to find some old F34 Lite White lamps and a fixture to run them.
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good223
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eBay is awesome for vintage lighting because of the wide selection, but you definitely pay a premium for most of that stuff. ReStores, on the other hand, are typically a lot cheaper, but you never know what they're going to have on a particular day. Craigslist is kind of a mix of the two.
I agree. Nothing beats finds from the restore. Oddly enough though I've never gotten anything rare from a restore. My best finds have come from estate sales and flea markets. @wattMaster, i encourage you to search those places first. As someone who started collecting less than 4 years ago, it's easy to get excited and buy anything you see. It's really better if you narrow down what you buy.
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« Last Edit: August 03, 2016, 08:40:31 PM by good223 »
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wattMaster
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eBay is awesome for vintage lighting because of the wide selection, but you definitely pay a premium for most of that stuff. ReStores, on the other hand, are typically a lot cheaper, but you never know what they're going to have on a particular day. Craigslist is kind of a mix of the two.
And I suppose you could make a Lite White phosphor but you'd have to find out the ingredients and purchase them, not to mention actually making the lamp itself. Better to find some old F34 Lite White lamps and a fixture to run them.
Where can I buy them?
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good223
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Restores, flea markets, garage sales, estate sales, and of course eBay
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You'll just have to look around. I got four GE red-etch ones at a ReStore a while back, though all but one have since gone EOL and the remaining one is on its last leg. I saw some Philips ones at another ReStore more recently but I didn't buy them and they have all since sold.
As far as a fixture goes, Lowe's and Home Depot sell junky T12 shoplights for about $10 and somewhat-nicer T12 striplights for $20 (unless they've discontinued them recently). Those would work if you don't mind electronic ballasts. If you'd prefer magnetic RS, check Craigslist or ReStores. There are PLENTY of 4-foot T12 RS fixtures out there.
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I like my lamps thick, my ballasts heavy, and my fixtures tough.
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