Fluro lights

I know that this has nothing to do with Wood.
But does anyone know where I can get Double fluro lights without covers at a good price?
I will consider second had stuff too.
I need 9 of these for my shed + misc other electrical stuff.

your imput will be apreaciated.

thanks

Gino

Gino
I recommended the Wantirna Trash and Treasure Market to Barry Sumpter when he wanted a blower unit a couple of weeks back. Barry had no luck, but there has not been a week go by, when I have not seen second hand flouros - doubles and singles.
Especially for someone with some knowledge of electronics.
Market is at the old Wantirna Drive In, cnr Boronia RD and Mountain Hwy, Melways map 63, G5. Market opens around 6 for "early birds", costs $5.50, or after 8.00 , you can get in for $1.70
Mick

Or garage sales, I picked up some, brand new from a sparky who was moving house, complete with new tubes and starters at $5 each.

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: http://community.webshots.com/user/iain49

Gino, on your way down here, There is a place selling second hand fittings not far from the Hospital..

Kev.

Gino, personally I'd stay away from used fluros - they are cheap enough new and if the tubes & starters need replacing usec ones aren't much of a bargain any more http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

Hit the phone and ring around the electrical wholesalers in your area - and get a price from Bunnings or one of the other chains. Also check KMart. The prices on high volume electrical like fluros (especially 4ft) vary dramatically - and you'll usually find someone in your area who has a special deal running at any given time.

Beware of electrical wholesalers - depending on the item and the day, they can either be dramatically cheaper or dramatically more expensive than the chain stores. Walk in off the street and buy 1 and you'll usually pay top dollar. Ring around and make sure you tell them you want 9 and you will find a good price.

There are some stalls at Laverton market that sell pretty cheap new electrical gear. I bought a bunch of fluoros once from a guy that has a permanent stall there and the price was pretty good.

I am always gratful when ever people make the effort to help out.

I will take on board all of the above and look at all options as I probably won't buy anything until the end of this month.
It pays to do research on these things.

In the meantime if anyone else has anything else to say please do so

many thanks

Gino

Hi Justin

where abouts in Laverton is Laverton Market and when is it held?

thanks

Gino

HI Gino,

Laverton Market is open on Saturdays and Sundays. Take the Kororoit creek road exit off the princes freeway, the market is actually on Leakes road which is the continuation of Kororoit creek road into Laverton. Melways ref is 53F4. It'll cost you a buck to get in, but theres a lot of interesting stuff for sale - heaps of secondhand stalls. Good for hardware and consumables as well.

The electrical guy I was referring to is in the first big shed closest to the entrance, near the pet stall in the the corner.

Justin.

[This message has been edited by Justin (edited 07 September 2002).]

Gino I would have to agree with a previous post That new is a much better proposition.

I have had some dealings with used fluros & if they have some age in them its not good.

The electrical wholesalers have always come up with the goods for me.

I would make two recomendations

Make sure to get a good reflective surface behind the fluro It can improve the light on the job considerably. White melemine works a treat.

Spend the extra bucks and get TRI PHOSPHOR tubes they have higher light output, much better colour rendition and longer life.


You may find single fittings more competitive than doubles.

A single Triphos tube with a good reflector will certanly give a bare twin warm white a run for its money.

cheers

Gino - I purchased 10 double, 6 quad flouro's from a bloke at Wantirna T&T market about 8 years ago. All were reconditioned with good globes and stators. I used them for 6 years before moving to Geelong. They were too good to leave behind so I took them all out and now my sone is using some of them and I am using the rest.

Never had to do a thing to them. All were fitted with leads and plugs. Probably not very legal but they worked. From memory the quads cost $20 each and the doubles $12 I also got a couple of sealed external ones with single tubes for $10 each.

So far I have never had to change a starter or tube in any.

Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

Warning - The following contains safety bullsh http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/rolleyes.gift.

A note of warning when buying used fluoro’s. They probably contain PCB’s. Most on the market will have been removed from office buildings during renovation/refurb because of their age and potential risk.

"PCBs" - Polychlorinated Biphenyls, are a group of synthetic chlorinated organic compounds, declared carcinogenic throughout first world countries.

Even though the importing of PCBs was banned in 1976, they can be present in transformers and capacitors in the electrical industry, and in a wide range of other products that take advantage of their great stability compated to other oils (so stable that traces have been found in Antarctica).

Small PCB filled capacitors are fitted to electric motors, welders and fluorescent lights and typically contain about 50gm of PCBs.

Normally, PCBs are in a metal container carrying no label signifying PCB content.
Most capacitors with metal cases that are labelled "Thermonol AEE" or "Ducon" Type APS, APF, APB, APD, APU, GPU, APA, APC, or GPA do contain PCBs. There are heaps of others not listed here.

Plastic cased capacitor usually do not contain PCB's.

The capacitors in fluoro lights can generally be found behind the backing plate.

This said, there is no current law prohibiting the use or resale of equipment containing PCB capacitors (I think?). Non-leaking PCB capacitors can be left in place, however they should be periodically checked for signs of oil leakage.

If you do buy used from an ‘unsecured supplier’ have a good look over what your buying. Any sign of oil contamination - don’t touch it (and wash your hands before you next eat).

Eastie,
Reminds me (for the first time in years) of working for a computer company back in 1982/3. Being a bunch of young & stupid guys, one of our favourite tricks was to take one of those old roll-up power cords (you know the type - plastic case with a power point on the side with a couple of handles to roll up the cord inside) and drop a high value low voltage aluminium case electrolytic capacitor into the power point (legs in the socket).

It would then be placed under the chair of some poor bugger, plugged into the wall and the switch flicked on at an appropriate point (when they least expect it). Of course the capacitor would explode instantly with a very loud bang, throwing little bits of aluminium and a very nasty yellow liquid all over the underside of the chair and the back of their legs.

Scared the hell outta them and gave us all a good laugh. If I remember correctly, the usual victim of this prank (he never learned to check under the chair before sitting down) was also the lucky bugger who got to clean out the 3 inches of green sludge from the bottom of the fridge.

It eventually got stopped when someone pointed out how nasty that yellow stuff really was http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

Thats enough to put me off my lunch.

Being an electronics technician by trade, I've worked with leaky capacitors etc. I hope I won't be paying for it in latter life.
I never tried the capacitor under the chair trick but I had a collegue put a High voltage cap in a T.V. once which scared the hell out of everyone in the workshop.

But to the subject at hand. I've been looking around trying various makets including the one's mentioned in this post.
Wantirna market was covered last sunday.
I've come to the conclusion that It just isn't worth purchasing second had units as they are over priced. AT LEAST THE ONES I SAW.
e.g. they average around $20 I have found them as cheap as $26 new. By the time one adds two new fluros approx $6 + the starters it ain't worth it.
If I could find them for $10 this would be o/k.
As soon as I purchase some I'll let you know what I got and where, in case anyone is interested.
meantime if anyone see's any bargains out there let me know.

regards

Gino

I said that when I finally purchased some lights I would let you guy's know where and how much.

I purchase some double fluro's from "John R. Turk electrical" around Heidelberg way.

I got them for $28 inc GST. they are Australian made including the choke.
they also had another Aust made one with some italian fittings for $24 + GST.

But I thought that the one's I bought were a better made item.

I also purchased some reflectors for these for $14.50 inc GST.

Someone on this post mentioned making your own reflectors but I figured It was a case of time which I don't have at the moment.
Though I will be making reflectors for two lights which were given to me by my nextdoor neigbor.
Hope this is of help to some one and I thank all that took the time to reply and who made the effort to email me also.

regards

Gino

Gino et al
Today I put together a "Spray Booth" for spraying -what else ??
No, have decided to try a HVLP unit I picked up, for putting on stains & first coat of shellac sealer.
Have hung said booth under garage door,
Would work well , but, have decided that light needs improving.
Gino
will go to your source of flouros - currently Bunnings are at nearly $40 for a double 36w unit
May still look at Wantirna market, as I have said before, but as I grow older, have taken notice of postings on this thread, need to be careful
regards
Mick