Hi Joan,

The hum is subtle, louder than other fluorescent fixtures in our house (which I can't hear at all), but quieter than the computer in my studio. It's constant, so my brain filters it out and it's certainly not loud enough to bother me. I don't know about bad ballasts, as both are new fixtures by different manufacturers, but both happen to have the same Sylvania ballast. If you're interested in the Lowes or Home Depot electronic fixtures, I would just try one and take it back if it bothers you. I would be curious what you find if you do buy one, however. You could also check if there's a specialty lighting store in your area, one in our area had just slightly more expensive electronic fixtures ~$35.

Good luck,

Holly

Thanks Holly
 

Hi Holly,

Thank you for your reply. It sounds like the hum isn't bad at all. Right now I'm using a screw-in flourescent bulb in a regular fixture at it is amazing how much it helps! I'm using the same bulb that Chris Saper used to light one of her models that I admired. I took some photos of our babysitter this morning (just posted them) and I used this light to supplement the natural light.

Maybe, just maybe, I can get away with painting with this one fixture, in addition to the overhead light. My husband would be thrilled about that, especially after I showed him the shop light configuration I had in mind! I have four windows in this studio/computer room but again, the sky is dark grey outside. I guess I won't know until I start my next portrait. I'm painting a friends cat right now as a thank you and the lighting is not a big deal (compared to portraits). I hope to start the next portrait in a day or two.

thanks again,

Joan

Can you tell us what kind of bulb that is?

Bulb
 

Hi Michele,

I'm using a flourescent bulb by 'Commercial Electric', I got it at Home Depot. They come in different wattages, I bought a 60 watt and a 75 watt. I think there was even a 100 watt. I used this bulb this morning for additional light on my model since there wasn't enough natural daylight, I just posted that under "resource photo critiques". I also have found this bulb helps a lot when I use it to paint by. It fits in a regular light fixture, I used a standing fixture to light my model.

Hope this helps,

Joan

T12 vs T8
 

RE: Humming Ballasts. There are several types of Ballasts on the market, each designed to operate different lamps. If you have a fixture that takes F32T8 Lamps of any spec, you have a lamp that is 1" in diameter and designed to be pushed by an electronic ballast. This is the most current commercially used set up and should not produce any hum, but harmonic distortion is an issue, however not if you have a single 4 lamp fixture on the line.

The F34T12 RS lamps, at 1-1/2" diameter, are pushed by an electro-magnetic ballast, and these ballasts can make a nasty noise.

These are both called Rapid Start. Look for the RS on your lamp logo. No starter is needed. The starters are still used today in lamps 24" long and under, in any tube diameter.

The problem with the Home Depot style fixtures is that even though the ballasts and lamps are labeled GE or Sylvania, they are mass produced "B" quality for home use, typically garage lighting where hum and VCP, CRI are not an issue.

If you have a commercial electrical supply house in your area, ask if they have the GE UltraMax Ballast and SPX series lamps. This combination all but eliminates hum, distortion and the terrible eye fatigue you will get from residential brands because they have included a very effective Striation Control with this combination.

Try, Graybar.com or search Lithonia Lighting or Genlyte-Lightolier for store locator's.

Screw in bulbs?
 

[QUOTE=Chris Kolupski]I use the Lumichrome tubes but need screw in bulbs for on location portrait studies. QUOTE]

Hi Chris,

Did you ever find anything satifsactory for a screw in bulb?

Thanks,

Joan

I just put in my lights for the occasional evening painting session. I normally will paint with my north window as my light source, but I have learned that a bank of lights are good to have.

I mount mine above my window so my light comes from the same direction and height. I have 4 24 inch fluorescents in a bank.

The bulbs are Phillips Natural Sunshine bulbs - what I could find locally. They are 5000K and have a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 92. This for me is optimal as the 6000 or 6500 bulbs are a bit too cool for my tastes, and I have a hard time recognizing any improvement once the CRI goes over 90 - my last lights had a CRI of 94 and these at 92 look just the same.

Lights
 

Hi Michael,

Thank you for your information. I was hoping to avoid having some kind of set up which required the long tubes. It may come to that though, I'm not sure there is a screw in bulb (I mean the kind that screws into a normal light fixture) that will fit my needs. I do have a couple of screw-in bulbs that are flourescent and they help tremendously. Here in Houston we can get a week of overcast/rainy weather and it's tough to paint if I wait for sunlight!

Thank you again, I'll print out this info and add it to my other lighting info for when I do have to set up a 'bank' of light.

Joan

I've been using GE Reveal screw-in bulbs. They are better than ordinary household bulbs for showing colors, and don't cost very much more. I don't know how they compare to the full-spectrum tubes.

Verilux
 

Joan,

Although I use the 48" fluorescent tubes, I have also used these from Verilux and they work great :http://www.avitec.com/avihealthN.html