Table Light

L

lucasi1

Registered
Maybe been talked before, don't know... But, remodeled basement with 7' ceiling. Putting in an 8 footer and curious about a light that'll work good lighting the table. Our local room has nice Diamonds but their lights need improvements. They use one long stained shade w/ 3 bulbs. Even though they hang low, when you get down to shoot, the far bulb is shining right in your eyes. Annoying as hell and takes a while to learn to ignore. Even then it makes it hard to see.
I have looked at the 'home room' posts and like the looks of the Diamond light in some rooms. I assume it's not cheap. Just wondering about what people use and also how they are mounted. Hanging or fixed to the ceiling.? 3 or 4 bulbs, low or high? Thanks in advance for your response.
 
I only have 1 more foot than you talk about::

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I use 4 long fluorescent bulbs.
While mine is hung from the ceiling, you could easily screw your directly into the joists.
 
Spread the light and mount it high is my recommendation.

I have 4 lights just inside the corners, which gives pretty even light, but to do over, I would look at the large LED panels. Perhaps 2 at 2' x 4'. Running light down the center of the table 3 or 4 bulbs puts the pockets in gloom.

Thank you kindly.
 
Diamond lights
http://www.diamondbilliards.com/Accessories/TableLighting.aspx

http://www.diamondbilliards.com/Portals/0/Light Hanging Tips REVISED 2.pdf

Apparently the light has crossbars that can be used if you do not want to use the rigging that comes with the light. You don't have the ceiling height to use Diamond's hanging rig as is.


FWIW
Conveniently, many people recommending flat panel LEDs sell flat panel LEDs. :D
Also loved by interior designers.

Full spectrum fluorescent is the way to go, as in Diamond.
If, at some point, LED tubes can give the same performance, you can retrofit to handle them.

Not all LEDs can accommodate a dimmer.
 
Scaramouche said:
Full spectrum fluorescent is the way to go, as in Diamond. If, at some point, LED tubes can give the same performance, you can retrofit to handle them.

Not all LEDs can accommodate a dimmer.
Click to expand...

Which performance characteristics of fluorescent bulbs do you see as superior to LEDs? (Lumens/Watt, Color index, Color temp)

Not all fluorescents can accommodate a dimmer.

Thank you kindly.

p.s. I do not sell LED panels.
 
Corwyn_8 said:
Which performance characteristics of fluorescent bulbs do you see as superior to LEDs? (Lumens/Watt, Color index, Color temp)

Not all fluorescents can accommodate a dimmer.

Thank you kindly.

p.s. I do not sell LED panels.
Click to expand...

For side by each comparison :D
The Corner Bank in Toronto
http://www.thecornerbank.ca/

has three types of lights:
Flat panel LED from a local supplier on 7 ft. Diamonds
Diamond light with full spectrum fluorescent tubes on 9 Ft. Diamonds
LED tube Shender light on 12 ft. snooker tables (part of the table package)
http://www.shender.com/english/displayproduct.php?id=132

The Shender light lets some light escape horizontally. Sitting at the bar watching a tournament, that light started to bug me after about 90 minutes.

Researching LED tubes, I found nothing from a recognizable source that would produce light in the natural spectrum, which I understand to be 5000 - 5500 Kelvin. In most instances, a Kelvin rating is studiously avoided in favour of weasel words.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-spectrum_light

Flat panel LEDs seem to have the same inability to deliver full spectrum light with many unrecognizable sources.

So my lighting choice would be Diamond with full spectrum fluorescent tubes, and retrofit if suitable LEDs come on the market.

p.s. - I am no expert on the topic - this is just the way I am going in a new billiard room.
 
Scaramouche said:
Researching LED tubes, I found nothing from a recognizable source that would produce light in the natural spectrum, which I understand to be 5000 - 5500 Kelvin. In most instances, a Kelvin rating is studiously avoided in favour of weasel words.
Click to expand...

Natural spectrum is mostly a marketing term. The sun, for example, gives basically a black body spectrum with a bunch of absorption lines (i.e. black lines in an otherwise continuous spectrum). But the (apparent) temperature of the spectrum varies throughout the day (hotter and bluer at noon; cooler and reder at sunset).

Neither Fluorescents, nor LED can properly be described using Kelvin rating. Kelvins are a measure of temperature, and specifically the temperature of a black body, which incandescents are at least close to. Fluorescents get their light from gas plasma, which are at very specific emission lines (i.e. bright lines in an otherwise black spectrum), which are then spread using phosphors on the tube itself. LEDs are in between, having a more spread spectrum than fluorescents, but narrower than the sun. Often white LEDs are made with two color bands (blue and yellow for example), and then spread with phosphors.

That said, most LEDs I see now have a rated color temperature (and weasel words).

For me, current LEDs exceed fluorescents for most purposes, but others have different opinions and different needs.

Thank you kindly.
 
Can't beat LED panels. The ones in the picture below have a color rating of 5000K. They are cheaper than Diamond lights, use less power, give off more light, no heat, no flicker or U/V rays, and for a home table will last easily the lifetime of your table. You really can't go wrong. They also look much, much cooler.

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