# diy lighting



## bradfordson (Aug 25, 2005)

I was wondering if you could take apart a 2 bulb 48'' shop light and use the same parts to make a 36'' or 30'' light


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

It depends on the ballast that is in the shop light. if it is an electronic balast most of them can drive several different bulbs. you would have to check on the balast.

Brian


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## bradfordson (Aug 25, 2005)

thank you for the info will check it out tonight


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

i have some 24inch shoplight here (NEW) let me know if you need more of it


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## Kenneth (May 22, 2006)

I buy my shop lights at Home Depot they are the cheap ones less then $8.00 they come with an electronic balast that can run 2 25w t8s up to 2 40w t12s. For the price of the shop light you get a electronic balast the light clips and the needed wiring.


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## bradfordson (Aug 25, 2005)

thats just what i did keith. I had a twin tube 36'' old light strip that would burn up starters so i gutted it and replaced it with the 48' home depot shop light. now i am going to try a diy hood for a 20 long :whoo:


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## fsnow55 (Jul 30, 2006)

I saw some T5s, even T4s undercabinet lights in Home Depot. Might be able to pack quite a few of them together to get high lights.


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## jmanrow (Sep 10, 2006)

Kenneth said:


> I buy my shop lights at Home Depot they are the cheap ones less then $8.00 they come with an electronic balast that can run 2 25w t8s up to 2 40w t12s. For the price of the shop light you get a electronic balast the light clips and the needed wiring.


Has anyone tried this on two 39W (36") T5s?


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## Kenneth (May 22, 2006)

I'm not sure if the ballast will drive HO T5 bulbs. The ballast in the shop lights are Sunpark brand model #SL15. If you have the bulbs you can give it a try.


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## jmanrow (Sep 10, 2006)

Thanks. I ran sunpark ballast #SL15 t5 through Google and found this article. http://www.geocities.com/overdrive_lights/


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## Kenneth (May 22, 2006)

Thats a good article.I just brought some compack flour. bulbs from Fosters I might drive them with the ballasts from the shop lights.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Yes, the SL15 will drive T5 HO's...ONE ballst for ONE HO bulb, however. 4 bulbs, 4 ballasts. =)

I'm thinking exactly what you guys are. If you check out Sunpark's website and look for their fixtures, the 670ST is rated for 2x 28W T5 bulbs, which gives 56 watts total....but over 47 inches.

On the other hand, if you wanted, you could grab the two SL15s from Home Depot, gut one, & put that ballast into the other setup, you'd be able to drive 2x 54 watt T5 HO bulbs. (Each overdriven ballast can only power one 54w T5 HO at full power).

A second problem with that is that the SL15 setup from HD is 48", while the nominal length of a T5 HO bulb is only 45.2"....that was my whole problem. And I'm not so handy at making an enclosure for myself. I browsed the article a few weeks ago, and I think it said that he re-sized the enclosures himself, so that might be an option...

Plus, with T5's, the issue is not having enough wattage, it's the lack of reflectors directing the light into the tank. Re-strike with these two closely-placed bulbs is pretty high.


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