Saving energy is talked about a lot these days, and most businesses have been moving to the new standard in 5 foot fluorescent bulbs. The Sylvania FO40T8 Octron fluorescent light bulbs save even more energy and produce a higher level of light output than was available before. 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.  When most people talk of the 5 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 FO40T8 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, even this 5 foot version.  In the case of T8 lamps, there may be a ballast that is made for several different types such as our Universal or Sylvania electronic ballasts.  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 taking off the ballast cover in the fixture and looking on the label, all the essential information is listed there.

The 5 foot Sylvania FO40T8 is an unusual size and has been typically used in special lighting applications where space has been a prime consideration.  These have been used in display, cove lighting and other types of length specific lighting.  In cove lighting, the overlap of the length makes it a perfect illumination tool which will keep an even light level across a ceiling without socket shadows.  It's these kind of ideas that keep this special lamp in high demand.  Because of the unusual size, some people have had some trouble finding it, but we have them in stock and in various color choices.

You can get these in all the standard colors which include 3000K, 3500K and 4100K.  The 4100K has special phosphors that give it a color like regular office lighting and they are available in the Sylvania FO40T8 Octron too. 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 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 FO40T8/735 or FO40T8/835, the 35 stands for the color temperature of 3500K and the number before it is the grade.

The Sylvania FO40T8 Octron fluorescent light bulbs are the new standard for energy savings in a 5 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.