Cove Lightings

[eternity82 0]

Hi can i know how much is the price for T5 tube (4feet) for the cove lighting?

Lights arcade quote me $35 each. is it expensive?

[sushibabe 0]

for cove lightings, check if you can use T8 instead of T5...T8 is the normal fluorescent tube...it's much cheaper and more durable...i got mine at $9 with loose fittings...

[eternity82 0]

for cove lightings, check if you can use T8 instead of T5...T8 is the normal fluorescent tube...it's much cheaper and more durable...i got mine at $9 with loose fittings...

Thanks sushibabe. ID ask me to buy T5, he say its slimmer. What does it mean by loose fittings?

Can i know the diferrence between with cover and no cover?

[sushibabe 0]

Thanks sushibabe. ID ask me to buy T5, he say its slimmer. What does it mean by loose fittings?

Can i know the diferrence between with cover and no cover?

for cove lightings, the tubes will be just rested on the false ceiling...are you sure the space in the cove false ceiling is so slim that a T8 can't even fit in??? T8 not so thick lah...

loose fittings means, with the wiring, Ncap etc...

for T5, got cover means the tube actually has another outer case, meaning the tubes are not exposed...

i dunno how to tell you in technical terms...you go to lightings shop, they will show you...then, you can understand more....

[porkypig 0]

Hi can i know how much is the price for T5 tube (4feet) for the cove lighting?

Lights arcade quote me $35 each. is it expensive?

Depends on brand of T5 holder. I got a quote of $28ea with Osram light

I am using T5 with electronic ballast. Electronic ballast is more lasting and generate less heat than T8 which is using those coil type ballast. Therefore save electricity. But it is more EX than coil ballast.

Installation and connection wise is more easier and faster for T5.

The T5 light will be "on" at an instant when you switch on. T8 light will flick a few times first.

When the T5 light holder is spoilt, you chg the holder incl ballast. As for T8, you hv to buy the correct coil ballast and maybe holder and reconnect them. If you are not sure, you may hv to spend $$ and get an electrician.

So there are pros and cons..

Pse correct me if i am wrong..

[AshRinz 0]

Hi, noob here. So how many types of cove lighting are there?

[sushibabe 0]

Depends on brand of T5 holder. I got a quote of $28ea with Osram light

I am using T5 with electronic ballast. Electronic ballast is more lasting and generate less heat than T8 which is using those coil type ballast. Therefore save electricity. But it is more EX than coil ballast.

Installation and connection wise is more easier and faster for T5.

The T5 light will be "on" at an instant when you switch on. T8 light will flick a few times first.

When the T5 light holder is spoilt, you chg the holder incl ballast. As for T8, you hv to buy the correct coil ballast and maybe holder and reconnect them. If you are not sure, you may hv to spend $$ and get an electrician.

So there are pros and cons..

Pse correct me if i am wrong..

so far,when i turn on my T8 covelight, there's no flickering...i think changing T8 isn't so complicated lah...just buy a new one and install or replace the Ncap lor...i never see my dad having difficulties replacing the T8 in his house...

it's up to individual whether you wanna use T5 or T8 lah...the guy i bought my lights from told me T8 is more lasting...i dun see why he wanna bluff us since T5 is more expensive...

i also bought T5 for my study table...$20 each...

[jtek 0]

Depends on brand of T5 holder. I got a quote of $28ea with Osram light

I am using T5 with electronic ballast. Electronic ballast is more lasting and generate less heat than T8 which is using those coil type ballast. Therefore save electricity. But it is more EX than coil ballast.

Installation and connection wise is more easier and faster for T5.

The T5 light will be "on" at an instant when you switch on. T8 light will flick a few times first.

When the T5 light holder is spoilt, you chg the holder incl ballast. As for T8, you hv to buy the correct coil ballast and maybe holder and reconnect them. If you are not sure, you may hv to spend $$ and get an electrician.

So there are pros and cons..

Pse correct me if i am wrong..

Hi bro, yes u r rite that T5 work only with Electronic ballast but u got to be careful as a lot of our local lighting shops are supplying in-house brand T5 cove lighting fixture which comes with only an "inverter" to convert the incoming to strike the T5 lamps. This way of powering the lamps, the lamps life will be shorten by a lot. I know Osram & Philips's T5 fixtures uses really electronic ballast circuit in their fixture only.

Cheers.....

Hi, noob here. So how many types of cove lighting are there?

Cove lighting are the ways it is mound and not a type of lighting fixtures.

Of cos you can choose how you wanna construct your cove or pelmet in your home then plut the lamps insode to brighten your home. Bascially the lighting inside are standard which you either use T8 or T5 lamps running along the whole cove.

[jtek 0]

so far,when i turn on my T8 covelight, there's no flickering...i think changing T8 isn't so complicated lah...just buy a new one and install or replace the Ncap lor...i never see my dad having difficulties replacing the T8 in his house...

it's up to individual whether you wanna use T5 or T8 lah...the guy i bought my lights from told me T8 is more lasting...i dun see why he wanna bluff us since T5 is more expensive...

i also bought T5 for my study table...$20 each...

Hi bro, for your info. T8 or T5 both are Fluorescent Technology therefore both last as long. But bcos T5 can only run on electonic ballast, the lamp life is slighty longer. But if both T8 & T5 runs on electronic ballast, they should last equally long.

[isaacp 0]

Have cove lights installed in my living room. However, when I switched it on, it light up the entire living room instead of being dimly lighted and exuding a sense of cosiness. Is it because I have brought the wrong tubings?

[jtek 0]

Have cove lights installed in my living room. However, when I switched it on, it light up the entire living room instead of being dimly lighted and exuding a sense of cosiness. Is it because I have brought the wrong tubings?

Hi bro, actually it sounds to me that you had an over designed lighting points. As most of us and our contractor/ID do not know how bright is enough for each's own eyes so they will put as many light points as possible.

Also the ID need to flow the lamps along the cove which is why they will put more for bigger cove.

One way to solve ur issue is to change all the ballast to electronic dimmable type and then change the cove lighting circuit's switch to a dimming type. With this, u can dim the light to your own comfort brightness.

[hihihi 0]

Have cove lights installed in my living room. However, when I switched it on, it light up the entire living room instead of being dimly lighted and exuding a sense of cosiness. Is it because I have brought the wrong tubings?

or change to a lower wattage-rating bulb. Lower wattage is the layman's term of the bulb being less bright (and consume less energy).

[jtek 0]

or change to a lower wattage-rating bulb. Lower wattage is the layman's term of the bulb being less bright (and consume less energy).

Hi Bro, for cove lighting, you can only use linear fluorescent lamps which the standard lamps available are T5 & T8. Regardless how small wattage you use, its the same. Cos in the end you will still need to put the same total length up in the cove.

For example, a 12m cove will need about 12pcs of 4ft T5 lamps which is 28W. But if u use a 2ft T5 lamp which is 14W, you will need to use 24pcs. So in the end, its the same consumption.

T8 Lamps - Can be used with magnetic or electronic ballast:

2Ft Lamp (589.8mm) = 18W

3Ft Lamp (894.6mm) = 30W

4Ft Lamp (1199.4mm) = 36W

5Ft Lamp (1500mm) = 58W

T5 Lamps and only be used with electronic ballast:

2Ft Lamp (549mm) = 14W

3Ft Lamp (849mm) = 21W

4Ft Lamp (1149mm) = 28W

5Ft Lamp (1449mm) = 35W

So its the cove length tat matters.

Edited June 17, 2008 by jtek

[hihihi 0]

I've got a catalogue which list the options:

T8 tubes: 18W, 36W

T5 tubes: 8W, 13W, 14W, 21W, 28W, 35W

isaacp's case is his tube is too bright that it lighted up the whole living area instead of just a cosy area. Probably he just needs a lower wattage tube. If T8 18W is still too bright, then change to T5 tubes.

For length, they comes in:

Common: 2ft, 4ft (u can buy the tube anywhere downstairs, supermart etc)

Non-common: 1ft, 3ft, 5ft, 6ft (probably u have to visit light shops)