Hmm they look like a explosion-proof fixture, is it slimline or HO?

I don't know the lamps just say "F40" on them. I'm assuming slimline.

Hmm it uses plunger bi-pin holders then, Slimlines and HO lamps use the F48 prefix.

Ok. I thought they were regular bi-pin lamps, but the sockets looked like slimline. i guess the lamps are regullar

wow cool fixture! ive seen those in a neighbors garage lit up before!

Well, this one apparenly has issues starting. Each of the three that are mounted have their own switch and when you flick the one for this one, this light does nothing. If you leave it for a few minutes still, nothing happens. But if you leave it on for about 20 seconds and then flick the switch again, it'll instant start. I know it's probably a grounding issue, but all the others are exactly the same and don't have grounding issues. BTW, the lamps are True Value brand and appear to have vintage looking rounded end caps is that's of any interest. A couple of the lamps are Sylvanias though. He has three spare F40T12 lamps in the back of the garage; two being in their shrink-wrapped dual-packed sleeve.

Very neat fixture! I love old/retro fluorescent fixtures like this.

UPDATE: These were made by DAY-BRITE LIGHTING, which is apparently know owned by Philips (surprise, surprise )

[8/28/12]
Thanks. I love old fluorescents too. I remember staring up at these while my grandpa would be changing the engine oil in the cars or while he was mowing the lawn. I've never seen a burned out lamp in any of the three, or any of his fluorescent fixtures. He'd call me and my dad to fix them if there was an issue since he can't balance on the ladder anymore becuase of his parkinson's. I'd guess these are 1960s lights. The very top is either VERY thick metal or cast aluminum.

Cool, did you find out how old these are by looking at the ballast.

[UPDATE:] I cleaned off a thick coat of discusting sticky dust off the lamps and wiped the reflectors and this fixture works fine now. Amazing how the RS ballasts and lamps are so dependent on the ground connection... The garage appears brighter too.

[Original post:]
I looked at the paper UL tag on the endcap on the "spare" light in the basement that sits in the far corner collecting dust. I didn't open it up though. The fixture is a lot heavier than one would expect. Last night i was over their house (we visit every friday after supper for a few hours) and my dad had to borrow a skill saw so i tagged along with him into the basement to look that fourth one of these that's currently unused.

The outside simply has the UL sticker and a sticker that says to plug the conduit holes on the end if they're unused (which he didn't do LOL). I can only imagine what's in these lights with those huge openings.

The three-lamp half-piper has a center lamp that just glows dimly and blinks slightly. I didn't here a clicking starter, but my dad was rumaging around for the saw so maybe i jsut didn't hear it? Anyways, i'm bringing a new GE EcoLux lamp and a new starter next friday.

I'll ask if i can look at this light next time too to check why it has trouble starting on a cold start. After it starts, it'll come on when you flick the switch but if it's off for over a half-hour, you have the flick the switch a few times or else nothing happens. It's probably a grounding issue so i'll remove the lamps and clean them along with the reflectors and sand where the ground wire is connected to the fixture, as these are magnetic rapid start fixtures. While I'm at it I'll check the brand of the ballast. That's if my grandpa lets me "screw" with his light as he'd put it.

It's only been recently that it's had this problem too. He was thinking it was the lamps or the ballast but i told him that's not the case with this one. A little fun fact though: He's never changed any of the six lamps in the garage since i was born! He's had to change the T17 a couple years ago and one of the halfpiper lamps (one halfpiper lamp is a Canadian Sylvania probably from the early 2000s and the other two are Value-Brite F20T12 lamps. even if the unlit lamp is good I'll change it since it's an interesting addition to me collection.

Yeah that can happen with rapid start ballasts. ..even my 2 lamp HO fixture with old 1968 advance RS ballast will only light one lamp dimly if its extremely humid but works fine even Down to 0F! the F40 or F34T12 U bent lamps are even more sensitive to dust/dirt and wont start without a ground

These fixtures are fed with a three-wire supply but i didn't open the fixtures to see if the ground was connected properly or to see the ballast brand. If the lamps still didn't light i would have but my grandparents are VERY pleased that the fixture isn't toast. I even got payed just for wiping off the tubes! Interestingly, the garage is three cars deep, but only one car wide. There's a light over where each car would be. Since my grandpa can no longer drive, they only have two cars (one for my grandma and one for my aunt, as she still lives with them). I'll get a pic next friday...

So if you're at the back of the garage you have to move other peoples' cars?

yep. But there's only two cars now so it's not too big a deal.

Still I'm laughing trying to picture that...must mean someone has to leave for work/errands before anyone else
I wonder if that's permitted by building codes? Or was someone garaging a semi truck?

it was the only way he COULD do it to code. he had to make it fireproof and a lot of other balognia too.

Was there street setback issues or something? I'm pretty familiar with the construction business.
Can you make a garage fireproof with just SheetRock? I would think so...

well because the property line is about 5-6ft from the garage, he couldn't make the garage 3 cars wide. Since there was plenty of room behind the garage he found it cheapest to just extend it back. The door opener you see in the picture isn't actually for the cars. It's on the side of the garage and goes to the backyard. why he has a big door for his backyard i don't know. the opener doesn't work anyways. The "real" garage door is to the right of this light. The lights are mounted parallel to the cars, one over where each car would go.

Usually it's done with fire rated drywall or with concrete blocks, mine uses both though.

yeah this appears to be drywall or sheet rock. BTW, i found out that thru-bolt i got from him (well, ones like it) were used to hold the vertical beams to the foundation to build this. Apparently he used decommisioned NECo line hardware to make this garage. Same for the closeline in the back. it looks just like a pair of utility poles with crossbars! Though the pole is square and 6ft tall lol.