When I built my barn about 9 years ago, I ran one 20 Amp circuit for the outlets, and one 15 amp circuit for lighting. I hadn't thought much about it, just assumed I'd pick up some 4 foot fluorscent fixtures and space equidistant around the inside. When I went to buy them, discovered the fixtures were $20 each, not including tubes. I happened to remember seeing "garage lights" on sale at a local hardware which were a 2 tube, 4 foot fluorscent with mounting hardware and a 6 foot cord and plug for $8.99 on sale AND they included tubes. Checking further, the $20 fixture and the cheap one both used the same tubes. Sooo, I bought the cheapies (6) and put in outlets so as to be able to plug them in. Worked well. Photo of fixture and outlets.

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Now, it's nine years later and of the 6 installed fixtures (12 tubes) 3-4 tubes don't light up. swapping a non working tube in place of one that works, it suddenly works. Looking further into it, the contacts for the non working tubes have a little rust on them. I suppose I could take them down and burnish them or something, but repairing a $8.99 item seems counter productive. There may also be a ballast or something in the fixture which require some talking to, again, any parts would cost more than the fixture.

What I'm thinking about doing is replacing them with a simple white "screw in" bulb holder for an incandescent bulb, only using the new fluorscent replacement bulbs. I think you can get a 40 watt bulb which provides the light of a 150 watt incandescent. May also put those cheap wire cages around for protection. I've attched a photo of a lamp I use in the barn with a smaller bulb as an example.

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BTW, this lamp is one my wife was throwing out and I decided it would be useful as a trouble light. Best trouble light I have, heavy base so it's stable and the flexible neck allows it to be positioned wherever needed.

My question is, has anyone else done this, or is there another alternative I should look at? I know that fluorscents don't like cold weather and I do go into the barn in winter. However, the 4 footunits seemed to work OK in cold weather other than the issue previously explained.

I know I can fix what I have, but looking for something that will be reliable, the little fluorscents seem to last forever-getting a little old to be climbing around the overhead fixing junk....:-)

Thoughts or opinions?

Thanks for your time,

Ev