I had 2 and gave them away. A friend is now using them in a dual lamp fixture in the carport. It stays on all night.  I went to Fred's and got 2 more for a test. One was dead....thed vacuum was broken. Taking them back for a replacement. Looks like a Deluxe Cool White... rated 12,000 hours. It looks like the ends used in the Thailand bulbs, but they were made in China. 
When I get the replacements I will put them in the dual lamp fixture in my radio building.


Freds Stores are a discount ( Dollar) store chain  based out of Memphis, Tennessee.

Powell

Oh and another thing, these lamps will put a gray ring around the end of one or both end rather fast, and then in  a short time the ring will go away. I guess this was Mercury?  I've never seen this before.


Powell

If you want F40/CW, the best you can get now is 48" T12/25W UTSL. They're made in the USA by GE. It is only meant to be used on low ballast factor(50-60% output) shop lite ballasts and says that using them on commercial grade ballast (95% output) will halve the life to 6,000 hours, but they're cheap ($2 a lamp or so) so its not a biggie.

You should be able to get them at ACE Hardware.  

Best F40 lamps I have gotten recently are the full power, full mercury Sylvanias.  I have gotten F40T12/CWX and F40T12/DX.  They say "For use in ANY fixture".  Work perfectly in preheat and rapid start.

This is just for testing purposes. I want to see how fast they go.....     

I have other lamps I can use.... 


Powell

Got the replacements and they both work. Next, to go into a test fixture. 

I have a few 40 watt bulbs at the radio station that may be getting near end of life. They get to be tested on my electronic ballast I got for EOL fests.


Powell

@ Powell, what format of radio station?  What do you do there?  I have always enjoyed local radio, both country and news/talk.

Full service radio...it's oldies, modern AC and modern Country. We do local sports and local news. It's all oldies and "Beach Music" on the weekends. 

I have a half piper with lost end plates over the 2 transmitters.  (Preheat of course)



Powell

Best F40 lamps I have gotten recently are the full power, full mercury Sylvanias.  I have gotten F40T12/CWX and F40T12/DX.  They say "For use in ANY fixture".  Work perfectly in preheat and rapid start.

They're both high CRI lamps, but they're dim. They're slightly worse than Chroma 50.
DX is only rated at 1770 design lumen or about 1,000 less than standard F40/CW. 

I have 2 dual lamp 40 watt fixtures in the kitchen. I HAD both of them set up with Sylvania F40T12DX lamps but one fixture has now the Feit F40T12DX lamps and I like the color better.

I like the Sylvania D865 better. They cost a lot more however.


I have those rings formed on the Chinese Freds bulbs and it does NOT look like mercury like the others I had. Hmmmm... I think I will keep them in the 1950 pre-heat fixture awhile longer !

Powell

I have 2 dual lamp 40 watt fixtures in the kitchen. I HAD both of them set up with Sylvania F40T12DX lamps but one fixture has now the Feit F40T12DX lamps and I like the color better.

I like the Sylvania D865 better. They cost a lot more however.

Have you tried the GE 765? They call it F40/SP65. The CRI is 75, but the output is about 50% more. Rated at 3050 new 2775 mean. They have them at Wal-Mart at similar prices as Kitchen & Bath and such. 

I have them at the radio station in one fixture. I like the Sylvania better, but the DX bulbs at 90% CRI don't make the kitchen that much dimmer. 


Powell

I have them at the radio station in one fixture. I like the Sylvania better, but the DX bulbs at 90% CRI don't make the kitchen that much dimmer. 


Powell

I use OSRAM SYLVANIA FO32T8/880 88CRI 8000K I got from someone here. It's an awesome color. 

I'd love to have some of those 8000K lamps. I wonder if the Sylvania distributer in West Columbia, SC has any. I will have to try the next time I go there.

The Freds 40 watt bulbs had 2 rings on each end, both tan.  I moved the lamps to my dual lamp RS fixture with high power factor ballast and the ring closest to the end on all lamps went away and the other ring has gotten thicker, and I think it will eventually go away. This is weird aging.


Powell

WELL !!!   I took the bulbs to the dual lamp rapid start ( High power factor) fixture and the rings are GONE!  There's a bit left on the bottom, but the bulbs now look as good as new. This is VERY interesting. 

I got the last F15T12 GE / Sylvania Cool White. They had lots of GE ones. I put it in my desk lamp and it barber poled so bad I had to put it in the trigger start fixture. And I held the button down twice and preheated for  a long time. I am seeing this with most of these 14 and 15 watt Sylvanias now. Come to think of it, the 20 watter does the same thing.

I hear thunder, so I am logging OFF!

Powell