Light bulb choices

[Shaft]

Nice pics! Your room looks like what I hope to have one day.

Do CFLs create any strobing? I have been told that "strobing can create eyestrain over long periods of time" (but I suspect that could be a myth).
You could see strobing if you ran a fan under the lights or if you wave a pencil rapidly under them. Just curious...

 

[coastal_tony]

Thanks man, I have a good time out there. Some times I play 7 hours a day. As for the cfl's. I had 80W incandescent bulbs out there for a year. Installed the "soft" 75 cfl's this week. I changed to the "daylight" yesterday. I have not noticed any strobe effect, and had some of my regular players over playing for 8-9 hours over the weekend. We will play again this evening, IF, it doesn't get too cold. I live in S Florida, and anything under 75 is a bit chilly. I might have to put a pair of shoes on. Anybody out there need any Mc Dermott, Viking, or Meucci cues? I'm thinning out a LARGE collection.

 

[tjlmbklr]

I'm hanging a four bulb light fixture over my 9' table. It being 2008, and with a million different bulbs to choose from, any suggestions?

I would love to have a florescent fixture above my table. But my I beam makes a full table light out of the question. So I have a regular incandescent light with three bulbs. I have three GE Reveal Bulbs. They have a great contrast and thaye are bright too.

The link is strictly for reference. I paid light $3 for a 4 pack at Target.

Good luck!

 

[coastal_tony]

I had Reveals up there for a while, and they are quite nice, but when I switched to a four bulb fixture, the heat became more noticeable. I live in S Florida and it sometimes is 85 degrees at 9:00PM. My table is outside, and with the spiral CFL 75W bulbs it is quite a bit cooler.

 

[Purdman]

This thread might help a lot on new pool table owners. I went to H.D. and asked if I might return bulbs that are not what are needed. I bought 4-packs of 75W spiral bulbs, the soft, day-light, and brights. WOW. I installed the green packs tonight (soft). They are nice. I'll give it till Sunday night and install the Day-Lights. Then in about three days later install the brights.. I'll post pictures at the end, of each combo used. My table looks BAD under light!

I got a tip for ya. Don't drop your cue on those bricks. Been there and done that.
Purd
I use 1000 watt metal halide lamps. I just crack the door open and let er shine.

 

[DaveK]

Remember that these bulbs contain mercury. So if someone breaks one with a cue stick you have a real mess and are likely looking at new cloth. So be careful

ALL florescent bulbs contain mercury, including the long tubes that have been commonly used for decades. Apparently the minute amounts of mercury disperse into the air when a bulb is broken, so your pool-table mess is mostly just broken glass. I personally believe that the whole mercury issue was raised as an objection to the proposed banning of incandescent light bulbs, and not as a true health or environment issue, but then I am rather a cynical old electrical engineer

My 8' table as a couple of 4' florescent warm-white tubes for light. If I were to do it again I would use perhaps 8 or 10 CFLs spaced around a 6' x 3' fixture in an attempt to get more even illumination on the playing surface.

Sorry for joining in so late :embarrassed2:

Dave

 

[coastal_tony]

I've already dusted two cue balls on the marble flooring, OUCH! Sunday night I had a few boys over, playing & enjoying cold beverages. I keep a 27oz stick out there for breaking. Well one of these idiots that never used a 27oz stick, winds up on a MEAN break. Luckily I was standing over on the right, between them two little tables. I caught the ball a few inches away from going through the sliding glass doors on the master bedroom. I got lucky, would have been in some serious doo-doo.

I got a tip for ya. Don't drop your cue on those bricks. Been there and done that.
Purd
I use 1000 watt metal halide lamps. I just crack the door open and let er shine.

 

[cigardave]

Sunday night I had a few boys over, playing & enjoying cold beverages. I keep a 27oz stick out there for breaking. Well one of these idiots that never used a 27oz stick, winds up on a MEAN break. Luckily I was standing over on the right, between them two little tables. I caught the ball a few inches away from going through the sliding glass doors on the master bedroom. I got lucky, would have been in some serious doo-doo.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

I'd post a sign stating... Control your break. You break my window(s) you pay.

 

[coastal_tony]

I just got back from Costco. They have 6-packs of the spiral 75's, and 100's for $10.00 a pack. I paid $25.00 for four at H.D.This might be the Thanksgiving dinner menu.

 

[coastal_tony]

After hundreds of games, and adjusting the light fixture up and down we have not come to a decision on the proper height, or light spread. I remember back in the 60's spending all my lunch money at Franks Pool Hall in N Tonawanda, N.Y. I kind of remember the light spread to be just under the cushions, and not much light hitting the floor. HELP!

 

[TATE]

I'm hanging a four bulb light fixture over my 9' table. It being 2008, and with a million different bulbs to choose from, any suggestions?

I have that set up, and I get really great lighting from those large "globe" bulbs - 5". You can vary the wattage if you like. I have 100 w on each of my end lights - so the corners get lit, and 60 watts in the middle. I use the frosted bulbs, not the clear ones, and it gives a soft light.

I like the incandescent light better than flourescent. The globe bulbs diffuse light evenly on the table. They last a long time and they are about $4 each.

Chris

 

[cigardave]

I switched over my table lighting last night and am tickled at the results. :thumbup2:

First off, I have a 9-foot Pro Am with tournament blue cloth and my lighting fixture is a typical 4-banger, incandescent one... and up until last night I had been running 100 Watt GE Reveal Soft White bulbs... but noticed that the table was not that well illuminated.

Last night I switched over to spiral 100 Watt equivalents mentioned above (bought at Home Depot)... but I selected Bright White (red packaging)... instead of Soft White or Day Light mentioned above.

The Bright Whites do an absolutely great job!!... especially by comparison to the 100 Watt GE Reveal Soft Whites. Gone is the yellow hue of the Soft Whites... and I have so much light on my table that I can see easily under each of the four cushions... not that I need to but it helps explain how well-lit my table is now.

Try 'em... you may like 'em. :wink: