# Grocery Store Lighting



## k2x (May 20, 2008)

chenley said:


> Noticed while in a grocery store a couple of weeks ago that the lighting that was installed was 4' T12 fixtures back to back. Then noticed tonight in a different grocery store that the lighting was the same.
> 
> Question is, why would not install 8' fixtures back-to-back? Wouldn't that make less of an issue with ballasts and lights going out?


I don't know why they would do that on t-12's but we have done a lot ot 8 ft to 4 ft. conversions on t-8. One 4 lamp ballast can run 8 ft of fixture, the technology on 4 ft. lamps seems to be better, and 4 ft. lamps are easir to handle, store, transport in a car. I could probably think of a few other good reasons for 4 ft if i thought about it. .. but in the days of t-12 magnetic ballast you sure could cover a bunch more miles of fixtures with 8 footers.


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## unionwirewoman (Sep 7, 2008)

Not sure either..the only input I have is with 2 Safeway stores .....the first one that was wired up was okay...they had 1 3 lamp ballast per 8' fixture....the next store we went to was unbelievable !! They wired some 8' sections with 1 - 2 lamp and 1 - 1 lamp ballast...others were wired with 2-2 lamps and 2 - single lamps !!! Mind you it is a grocery store where all of these lights were butted together...but the whole idea of it was assinine ! They used #10 in the fixtures....but the home runs were # 12 !


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

UWW.,

Now that is " Buttugly" set up and myself not too long ago one big store they asked me to disabled some of the flourscent luminires all i say .,, all were wired for 277 circuit with dimming ballast and some have to swap from 2 lamp ballast to single lamp ballast ugh.,, they look like crap when it was reconferaged but what I did go with two lamp set up with remote capicty on it so every other luminaire is slave or slug ( depending on what ya say on this one ) it took little more time but it work very well with that set up.

Merci,Marc


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## Trimix-leccy (Dec 4, 2007)

UK 8 footers are being phased out. 
DO not know what wattage yours are but, 

[based purely on published wattages]

Here 1 x 8 foot = 100W
2 x 4 foot = 72W so less energy
:thumbsup:


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## BryanMD (Dec 31, 2007)

The other thing to consider is that the decision to use them was made by someone other than the EC or the installer.

Someone dropped the ball and didn't get the fixtures ordered correctly or on time (or at all) and when push came to shove the four footers were all the EC could get that day.


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## nap (Dec 26, 2007)

I never saw this info posted; were these 2' wide, 1' wide, or strips fixtures?


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## chenley (Feb 20, 2007)

nap said:


> I never saw this info posted; were these 2' wide, 1' wide, or strips fixtures?


Their 2 bulb T12 4' long strips. Tied butt-to-butt from one end of the store to the other with a ~4' gap in between each row. My first thought was that they could be wired in so that half of them could be turned off. Except one of these stores is 24/7 and the other completely closes down at night, no cleaning crews. They're pretty old stores also, each beign 20+ years old.


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## nap (Dec 26, 2007)

maybe that was the deal of the day at the supply house or these were scavanged from other places or they were not originally like this and they added lights or somebody felt this was better for some reason or my favorite choice:

I hate putting up 8 foot strips becuase the can be such a PITA. 4 footers are easier to manage and the electrician was by himself and had the same thought.


Anyway, I cannot think of a big reason to do it the way it is. I guess it will be one of the ancient mysteries of electricians of the day. We do all have our quirks that _nobody_ can figure out.


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## oldman (Mar 30, 2007)

the reason is probably due to them being magnetic T12...if one lamp goes, they both go...less light loss if they use 4' instead of 8'....


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