Everyone is concerned about saving energy these days, and most businesses have been migrating to the new standard in 4 foot fluorescent bulbs. The Sylvania FO32T8 Octron fluorescent light bulbs save even more energy and produce a higher level of light output than the fluorescent bulbs they replace, which are known as F40T12 bulbs. Octron is the trade name for the Sylvania lamp and it's a name that most people recognize as they were one of the first to come out with the lamp originally.  When most people talk of the 4 foot T8, they often refer to it as an Octron no matter which brand it is! You can tell the difference between a T8 and a T12 by measuring the diameter of the bulb. The FO32T8 bulb will be 1 inch in diameter, compared to 1 1/2 inch for the T12 bulb.  The T8 are far more energy efficient and operate on an electronic ballast usually configured to run several lengths of T8 lamps.  The ballast is important because it is made for each lamp.  In the case of T8 lamps, there may be a ballast that is made for several different types such as our Sylvania Quicktronic. Most of the time, the ballast and the lamp are matched electrically and so it's good to look at your ballast and see if it uses the lamp you have.  You can do that by opening the ballast cover in the fixture and looking on the label, all the pertinent information is listed there.

You can get these in all the standard colors which include 3000K, 3500K, 4100K and the full spectrum 5000K.  The full spectrum 5000K has special phosphors that give it a color like daylight and they are available in the Sylvania FO32T8 Octron too.  The term full spectrum is primarily used when referring to those lamps that fall into the white to blue/white color temperature range. There are any number of applications which use this lamp which include 2x4 fixtures, parabolic glare control, indirect lighting, offices, warehouses and the applications are endless.  So be aware of the color you have now if you're replacing the lamp or choose the one that best fits your interiors now.  Be aware that many building owners and office managers are going to the 5000K as people seem to prefer working under that kind of light.

You'll also notice a great difference in the colors around you as the color rendering of these lamps is higher than the old T12 lamps.  Many offices still use colors like cool white which wash out color and make everything look pale.  It's mostly used in the F40T12, but there are other types using it as well. It's old technology and was used because color was thought to be less important and it was an inexpensive grade of phosphor.  Because color correct lighting is good for the eyes, and it improves contrast for better readability.  There are two different grades of phosphors of the Sylvania FO32T8 Octron, one is the 700 series which is a CRI of 75 and the 800 series which is 85 CRI.  You'll know the difference by the number at the end like FO32T8/735 or FO32T8/835, the 35 stands for the color temperature of 3500K and the number before it is the grade.

The FO32T8 Octron fluorescent light bulbs are the new standard for energy saving light bulbs in a 4 foot length. We have one of the largest inventories of all kinds of T8 fluorescent bulbs for nearly every type of light fixture in the field.  If you're having trouble identifying a bulb, take down the number off the bulb and give us a call.  Our customer service representatives can help you determine what you have and get you what you need.