I’m getting ready to start a new layout. Has anyone used the somewhat new spiral neon light bulb replacements in their layout areas? I have put a couple in the basement rated 100 watt lumens equivalent at 26 watts actual, and the shade of the light looks a lot closer to daylight to me (I tossed the packaging so can’t look at the darned Kelvin rating). Just wondering if anyone has used these for layout lighting, and if so, how pleased they are with the result. My last layout was basically in a “sun” room, with flourescent lighting, and the difference from daylight to “lights on” was very pronounced. and I wasn’t that happy with the two different looks. “Warm” flourescents left me cold, too.
Thanks
I wouldn’t know how they look over a layout, as I have no incandesant light fixtures in the front of my trailer. However, my father uses them in his library. To me they look to have a glare that I don’t like. I use all flourescent lighting over my layout. The bulbs I use are called “Sunshine” bulbs and are a tad expensive but the light is very close to natural light and the colors really stand out.
Are you talking about the new energy saving light bulbs? If so, my entire apartment is lighted by them. However, there are two shades you can get. One very white, what they called ‘cool white’ and one ‘warm white’, more like normal bulb. I didn’t like the ‘cool white’ beause it makes my home and layout like a hospital and feels cold although very good for bringing out details. So I actually put one ‘cool white’ and one ‘warm white’ in each of my lighting fixture and I believe have the best of both worlds! It gives a ‘sunlight’ colour and feel white saving my electricity bill, couldn’t be happier!
No. These are not the energy saver bulbs. These are called “Sunshine” bulbs. The name is right on the box in big letters. I get mine from Lowe’s. They cost around $6 each.
I know the ones you’re talking about. They make a garish white light that’s not close to daylight. The Sunshine bulbs make a light very close to daylight. I’ve had the doors and windows open and could see no real difference.
I went to Wally world and got a 2 pack of each floresent they sold. (daylight, bathroom, kitchen, shop light) Some were too pink or blue or green looking. I kept the cheap 25 watt shop light bulbs. I thought they looked the best. I didn’t try those $6 ones Jeffs talking about. I understand the ballast in the fixture has a lot to do with it too. Those spiral ones probably won’t throw enough light to do the job.
If the ballast units have a lot to do with it, I’m in big trouble. I use standard Shop-Lite fixtures with the factory installed ballast units. No vibration, no buzz, no flicker.
I’m just using shop lights too. I’m having to replace mine after about 1 year of use. (that’s getting old) I remember a long post about 2 years ago where a lot of people said they were using some kind of expensive ballast that gave off a better light and lasted longer. I know one person mentioned them and a whole bunch of folks jumped in and said they used the same ones. Something about a better color and they didn’t give them headaches.[%-)] I remember they were about $25 each.
After spending extra to get the “better” quality shop lights with electronic ballast, and having 1 fail completely and 1 get flakey (out of 4 fixtures!), I am never again going to use such devices. Instead I will get cheap porcelain sockets and use the spiral fluorescent bulbs.
–Randy
rrinker-Do those throw enough light? I’ve wanted to try one but $$$ has stopped me.
One year! Are you referring to the fixtures? Mine are over 6 years old and still going strong.
Hi,
JW, I can’t find the Sunshine. Do you think of aquarium and plant tubes would be comparable??
Bob
Yep. Fixtures. They work fine for about a year and then the life of the tubes goes down REAL fast. New tubes only last about a month then. Might have something to do with the temp. extremes in the train building. Think I’ll buy better ones at Home Depot next time around.
Aquarium bulbs are a strange color. Kind of like grow lights.
Hi guys,
To answer Virginian’s original question, I haven’t tried the compact (curly-Q) flourecents over my layout because I’ve been dissatisfied with them in the rest of the house. The manufactures seem to overstate the equivalent light output. If you’re replacing a 100 watt incandecent you had better use a compact forecent that says it’s equivalent to a 150 watt bulb. I’ve also had mixed results on longevity and quality. Some have lasted several years, but more have “burned?” out in less than a year, and I had one nearly start a fire when the ballast shorted out. IMHO, if you want the energy savings you had best go buy some real florecent fixtures that take the standard tubes.
The “shunshine” bulbs Jeffery is refering to are GE’s brand name for their 5000 degree Kelvin full spectrum bulbs. As other have said you can find them at many stores in an orange cardboard sleeve. In other discussions you might see them refered to as “Chroma 50,” which is GE’s brandname for the same bulb in industrial applications. Sylvania makes a similar bulb they call the “5000K.” These bulbs don’t require special ballasts beyond making sure you’re using a T8 bulb with a T8 ballast or a T12 bulb with a T12 ballast. Both types are 4ft. tubes with bi-pin ends, but T8’s are thinner in diameter than T12’s.
Personally I find it’s worth a couple extra bucks on the electric bill to use regular incandecents and halogens to light a layout. I built a layout three years ago for a client and we installed two circuits of 6" can lights with swivel trim rings. As you went around the room every other light was a standard incandecent flood followed by a halogen flood. All the standard floods were on one dimmer circuit and all the halogens were on the other. Here are two photos I took of the back drop. The first is taken with the dimmers turned up
Thanks everyone, but especially Dan. Impressive.
I now have several of the curly Q flourescent bulbs around, and I think they have improved the quality tremendously over when I first tried them a couple of years ago. The light output from the 100W equivalent now really is, it appears.
But, the combination of regular incandescent and halogen floods appears to offer just what I was envisioning. The big thing with regular flourscents that I do not like is you cannot dim them to change the lighting at all; it’s either all or nothing.
If you can’t find “Sunshine” there’s another type that’s called “Natural”. It’s not quite as good as the other but it’s a lot better than the regular garish, in your face, wash out the colors flourescents. I used them before I found the Sunshine bulbs at Lowe’s. Wal-Mart didn’t have any Sunshine either except in small bulbs. Be aware these are 4 foot bulbs. Check at your local home improvement centers. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Stine’s, places like that.