Need help figuring out lights for exposure unit

[BHart]

Hi,

I've downloaded the pdf from the premium section for instructions for a diy exposure unit and am having a difficult time figuring out how to do the lights correctly.
I know that I need unfiltered UV lights, but maybe somebody here can help me with a couple other related questions.

What size bulbs should I be looking at? T8? T5? T12?

I'm planning on getting the 18" bulbs and will probably try to put 8 of them in there. I don't know anything about ballasts and starters and configuring the lights, can I just buy the single or double fixtures from home depot and put the correct bulbs in there?
Can anybody recommend any fixtures that they've found work well for this?
Also, If anybody has a link for what kind of bulbs work great, or can point me in the right direction, that would be a huge help. I feel I'm a little out of my element trying to make sense of these lights. I used to use 2 500 watt halogens, but want to make a uv flourescent box for quicker exposure.

Big thanks for any help!

[vrooooom]

At my old shop, we used T8 bulbs. I think the bulbs will depend on several factors, since it's most cost effective in the long run to plan for the sizes you plan to print. So, for more money now, you could build a larger unit and have that capability in the future. But if you have to stop at some point and build a new unit, that will be more expensive overall than just building to spec in the beginning.

I've seen two ways of wiring the ballast/fixtures. Some people just buy the plug n play units that are already wired, and just feed them into a surge protector. If you are somewhat comfortable with wiring, you can daisy chain the cheaper fixtures that do not have a plug of any sort. But with daisy chaining, you need to make sure to make solid connections in the sequence, because if one goes down it will break the circuit (if the wiring connection breaks or is moved/abused a lot).

[BHart]

Thanks. I'm going to be setting this up in my small apartment, so can't go huge at the moment. I'm probably going to go with dimensions around 26 x 36 or something like that.
So you think the T8's are the way to go? is there a standard size that's used for an exposure unit of this size?
Also, are these the right kind of lights? They don't say that they're unfiltered..:
Lowest Prices On Sylvania 20W,40W Fluorescent T12 Blacklight Lamps

[vrooooom]

I think we used the filtered ones, like this, for awhile in my shop. Depends a lot on the emulsion and how fast you want to expose. Call up suppliers if you can't find the info you need on a website. Unfiltered is generally recommended over filtered.

As per the T8-T12-T-1000, you might want to grab some paper and do some more research on what's available to you. It would suck to buy about $100 worth of bulbs, only to discover that you're missing the correct size ballast/fixture.

I think the unfiltered bulbs are usually around $10 a piece.

T-8 Unfiltered UV Blacklight Fluorescent Bulb Replacement

[Pantrybarn]

I'm getting ready to build an exposure unit too, and was wondering the same things. I didn't even think to check Ryonet. Something that helped me figure things out was the Google Sketchup plans someone posted in the premium forums. Just wondering about fixtures now. Gonna check the local hardware store circuit.

[vrooooom]

It's been awhile, but I think the double tube fixtures with wires only (no plug) were $15 at home depot. The shop light fixtures (have plug, closed system) were a little over $20 a set. I've also seen the single fixtures, but they seem to have a higher price point for being less than standard, say $10 a fixture.

I was going to build a rig like this, but I managed to score a used integrator on eBay that's pretty portable, so I'm going to refine my solar exposure activities. I may build a semi-permanent exposure rig/spot outside after I get my new studio add-on built.

[BHart]

Thanks for your help vrooooom!

Pantrybarn, please let me know if you figure out what works for you!

[MearlH]

t5 typically put out more light t5 high outputs (h/o) work great in cold conditions, t5,t8 &t12 refers to diameter of the bulb. a t5 is the thinnest i think like(but typically produces more light) t8 is larger in diameter and t12 is even larger. then there is kelvins which refer to light quality ex. 35 = 3500 kelvin the higher the better i beleive. gets complicated but t8 are pretty common. As far as ballast go, most will indicate (ex: (2) f32t8cw) how many lamps aka bulbs they will fire and what lamps they work for. Most electrical supply places have multiple ballast options that are pretty simple wiring. most of those lamps are identified as such; F (FLORESCENT) A NUMBER then diameter ex:t5,8,or 12.

[Pantrybarn]

I'm putting plans together now for my unit, and I'm wondering how many lights are necessary in the unit. I don't want to build something huge... I'm building it according to the size of the screens I have now, which are 23 x 31. Right now it looks like I'll be able to fit 5 bulbs inside... Should I build bigger to fit more lights?

[rogue squirrel]

Hey guys, I've been lurking around here, looking for info for an exposure unit I'm building and I've run into a problem. I bought the F20T12BLB lights from Home Depot as it seemed most people were suggesting these. However after purchasing these bulbs, I had an impossible time finding a fixture that will fit. These are 24" bulbs and my unit will 27" x 32", it seems that the T12 bulbs are being phased out, so I'm thinking about getting T8 or T5 bulb, but I can't seem to find a 24" bulb without spending ridiculous money and it looks like 18" is the next closest size. So the question is, am I just better off ordering 24" fixtures for the T12's or will the 18" bulbs perform fine? I currently use 20"x24" screens, and may incorporate something slightly bigger in the future, though there are no immediate plans for such a move.