Dispensary Lighting

[CME4SPECS]

I am in the market for overhead flourescent lights for my dispensary. Is anyone using a particular bulb that you are real happy with? I'm seeing bulbs out there from $6-$20.
Thanks in advance, Terry Agin

[CME4SPECS]

OK no responses.
Does anyone have lights in your dispensary?
Do you have 40 watt cool white shop lights? Happy with them?
Do you use full spectrum lights?
Do you DISLIKE the lighting in your dispensary?

[Eddie G's]

Yep we have some fluorescents in our dispensary for background lighting and I was just considering another type of bulb besides cool white. I don't know if they are old or something but they are awfully dim.

So I'm on the same boat as ya CME4SPECS and I'm also wondering what type of fluorescent bulb we should be using??? Just don't get the cool whites.

:cheers:

[CME4SPECS]

Thanks Eddie,
A sales rep from Maintenance Engineering was in yesterday and left me 2 Premira full spectrum bulbs, they are 69% brighter than the cool white bulbs. My fixtures hold 4 bulbs each, so I put the 2 he left with me in one side and left the 2 cool white bulbs in the other. You can't even see the cool white bulbs., they are so dim.The light is very natural and bright. The bulbs are low mercury and the ends will not turn black and dim over time. The cost is $19 a bulb. It's a little spendy, since I'd need 40 of them. so I'm just wondering what else might be out there.

[Robert Martellaro]

The cool and daylight bulbs suck the color right out of your skin. Very harsh and irritating to work under also. I've been using full spectrum F40/fs. Color rendition index (CRI) is 91. About $9 a bulb. My guess is that the more expensive bulbs are higher output and/or better color balance. The frame boards also get halogen track with zenon in the board to cut shadows.

[PAkev]

The red rotating police lights and spot light on the disco ball is the hit in our dispensary. :idea: :idea: :idea: However, I only turn it on when the frame reps without appointments come blazing through the door :finger:


kidding aside:
We have the grate lighting with soft white u shaped bulbs which has been a problem from day one. They were recommended by the electrician that wired our dispensary because they diffuse glare. However two big problems are that 1. folks have to take frames right under a light in order to see details and 2. The dispensary always looks closed with lights out when looking in from the parking lot.

My two pennies
Kevin

[CME4SPECS]

Now were talkin'!
Robert, where did you get your bulbs? Do they require special ballasts?

[drk]

I guess incandescent track lighting is out of the question? That's what you really need, you know!

[CME4SPECS]

I'm referring to overhead lights. I do have tracklighting.

[Robert Martellaro]

Economy Lamp Co.
4611 W National Ave
Milwaukee Wi
414.671.0370

I used to use Vitalite but it seems that Durotest closed their doors about 5 years ago. Chuck at Economy Lamp says I'am using a brand called Trojan. Before that they were called Service. They all probably come out of the same factory in Mexico or China. Regular ballasts for a 40 watt tube. They last about three years before the light quality and output decreases.

[CME4SPECS]

Thanks Robert

[Diane]

Full spectrum lighting or bulbs that are 400 nm offer the most natural light and you and your patients will notice that the colors in the office are the same as the colors outdoors. Therefore, you will have fewer patients returning because "these don't look right". I changed the bulbs in my dispensary many years ago, and was able to use the same balasts. Should be able to get them and any good lighting company.

Diane

[CME4SPECS]

This is more confusing than trying to figure out which pal to use and what index and which ar coating!!

[CME4SPECS]

I replaced all of my tubes with GE full spectrum (noon-time) lights. They are awesome, the difference is, well...night and day! I also have recessed lights around the perimeter of the store and put the same type bulbs in them as well. Colors in the dispensary are true,the frames look much better. I see more glare on the demo lenses, so I'll glaze a few demos with AR coating and they'll stand out like a sore thumb. That should help boost AR sales.
Thanks for you input. Terry Agin

[Eddie G's]

Well I just tried 4 Philips 40 watt "Natural Sunshine" Full Spectrum Bulbs and they do look much brighter. Unfortunately I have to buy another 14 to replace ALL the bulbs in the dispensary.

It says on the package that on a scale of 0 to 100 this bulb shows colors accurately at a 92. I found them at Homo Depot for $8 Cdn. each. They are a full spectrum bulb running at 5000K. There is another Philips bulb that has a color temperature of 6500K and it's called a "Daylight Deluxe" but it's not full spectrum and has only a color rendering rating of 84.

:cheers:

[CME4SPECS]

I had to get 40 tubes and 16 of the recessed. Total cost was $355. I think it's worth every penny.