Hi. I'm newbie here. So I should probably introduce myself. first of all. Because I come from Finland. My english isn't so good. But I hope you understand it. I have been always interested in electricity in general. I think I'm not a lamp/fixture collector even though I do own pretty many fixture. Mainly fluorescent one. I will post some pictures of my fixtures later. So thats something about me.

I would like to ask some questions that have puzzled me?

Is T-12 fluorescent lamps more commonly used in U.S. and Canada than T-8? In here Finland. It's pretty rare to see T-12 lamps to be used. You can buy them in some stores, But they usually cost each around 15-20€ (about 18-25 U.S. Dollar) while normal T-8 lamp cost 2,5-5€(about 3,5-6 U.S. Dollar)

Then what about U-bent lamps? How common those are? I have never seen one in here Finland. Those are so cool. I would want one too. Maybe I someday get one. Allso Circular lamps(circline?) are too pretty rare to see. You can find replace lamps in stores but I have never seen anyone selling fixtures for that kind of lamps. 

Welcome to LG! Here in the US, T8 dominates any business or school because it is more energy efficient. T12 is popular i residential areas and my home. It is easy to find either T8 or T12 in stores. Circlines are usually found with adapters that allow you to use them in incandescent sockets. Bulbs are also easier to find. (Where i live) As for u-bent lamps, i don't know much about them.

Welcome to Lighting-gallery.net  I am the administrator here in this page, if you need any help or have questions regarding to the page or whatever you can let me know....email me, PM me or whatever....Your English seems fine to me......not all of the members here are from the USA..

I see U bent tubes more often in T8 now days...they use same ballasts as the T8 32 watters....

This kind of collection hobby isn't easy in here Finland. Finding old fluorescent fixtures is not easy. Most common light source (before energy saving light "CFL" replace it in many place) was incandescent lamp(ofcourse industrial and commercial and schools used fluorescent lamps). The house where I live now, was built around 1980. This house did have orginaly only two fluorescent fixture. One in a bathroom above mirror. And another in kitchen above sink. residency built before 1980 rarely have any fluorescent fixtures. Not even garage. Ofcourse nowadays my house has couple of more because I Have installed some. And what comes to fixtures in industrial and commercial buildings, well you usually dont see any older than 20-25 years. It's somekind strange finnish habit, That when company moves to new building. They usually start massive renovation. that usually means renew all fixtures event thought old ones were in excelent condition. oldest fluorescent fixture I'w ever seen in my own eyes was made probably somewhere around 1960. 2x65W preheat for T-12 tubes. I think you would call it shoplight.

Around here they do change everything in major business and all that....it's the smaller stores or small business places and sometimes factories  or whatever would keep older fixtures.....

In fact some of our food store supermarket....we had some really new ones that was built in late 90s or very early 2000s...they had changed the style, theme of the store and removed the MH recessed fixtures and put fluorescent lights....

McDonalds is changing everything...including lights....even if they are only 1 year old or less!