In some areas of the barn I have these parabolic 2x2 fixtures I salvaged from a subway restaurant that was being torn down. They worked very very well with the Philips bulbs that they came with as well as having a great Color temp. That being said, they suck (...) in the winter. They do not put out less then 1/4 of the light. Any advice besides switching to led? The led pl-l bulbs are expensive.

For whatever reason, the only fixtures in the shop that preform well through Canadian winter are the preheat and the led tube ones.

Yeah, I have a 8' HO unit in the garage and it works pretty well even in the winter. Even the 0°F rated instant start T8s fare ok in the winter if it's not too cold. Make sure you get the full wattage/outdoor rated HO lamps though. The energy saver HO lamps don't work that well in the cold.

You might be able to find either a 4' or 8' HO unit at the Restore. HID is another option you could use if you tend to keep the lights on for longer periods.

Flourescents in garages and stuff here in Sweden are usually weather proof fixtures that are very well encapsulated, trapping the heat and making them run well even in the cold (after a short warm up). So the simplest solution to try would be to close those fixtures up to not lose any heat.

In Sweden we usually run Switch-start in home applications and there are special electronic starters for cold weather like the PalmStep FRIGOSTART that is made for freezers and outdoor use in colder weather (down to -40C), these ausually pre heats the tubes for longer than normal starters as to strike reliably.

Yeah, I have a 8' HO unit in the garage and it works pretty well even in the winter. Even the 0°F rated instant start T8s fare ok in the winter if it's not too cold. Make sure you get the full wattage/outdoor rated HO lamps though. The energy saver HO lamps don't work that well in the cold.

You might be able to find either a 4' or 8' HO unit at the Restore. HID is another option you could use if you tend to keep the lights on for longer periods.

That would work but I would like to keep these fixtures because they work well in the summer and they look nice. Maybe I should try other lamps because most of these are from the 90s and seem mercury starved. I am hesitant about HID due to colour temp. I have no clue how I would move an 8 foot fixture. Thanks for advice.

Cover the luminaires with non flammable insulation from above

I once moved an 8 Foot fixture on a bicycle. If I can do it you can lol.

I once moved an 8 Foot fixture on a bicycle. If I can do it you can lol.

I would tend to agree if my restore wasn’t 18km away but you are right.

I brought my 9 Gaash 6400's from another city 20km away by bus, and then from a friend's place (who lives near the bus stop) to my place by foot, one part at a time (luminaire body with ballasts removed)

https://www.lighting-gallery.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=2158&pos=99&pid=65924