"At $15, it's not really that good..." The SL15 is only about $8, my point is that for about the same price as two SL15s (to overdrive 2 lamps) you can get one good 4 lamp ballast (also to overdrive 2 lamps). shrubs-n-bulbs - "Power factor is irrelevant to 99% of us since we are not charged for the "lost" electricity, the power company bites that bullet." As I think about it, you should be right. But it doesn't agree with my observed power consumption. Apparently the low pf ballast is not as efficient as the high pf ballast. (Or the SL15 is not as efficient as the GE ballast). I have a string of 8 SL15 shoplights (16 lamps). It consumes about .7kw. I also have a mixed string of 4 SL15s and 4 TCPIs (16 lamps). It consumes about .525kw. And a string of 5 4-lamp TCPIs/GEs (20 lamps). About .5kw. I assumed (without thinking much about it) that the difference in efficiency was related to the difference in power factor. This also suggests that I overstated the savings by a factor of about two. But I am observing a difference in running costs. Regarding the filament heating with a rapid start ballast - I was reading a spec sheet that said 2 watts for the filament. On a 32 watt lamp that would be over 5%. Even if it were 2 watts/ballast (1 watt/lamp) it would be 3%. I was not trying to mislead in my discussion of ballast factor. Overdriving is certainly less efficient (lumens/watt) than not. But if you are going to overdrive, I would do it with the most efficient ballast I could find. And I would rather use one efficient (4 lamp) ballast than two cheapo inefficient ballasts that cost just as much initially and more to run. I agree with you about moderately overdriving with a high bf ballast. On one T8 lamp curve (and I know they do vary a bit) I read max lumens/watt at slightly over 1.0 bf. That suggests to me that a typical high bf of 1.15 is probably not a whole lot less efficient than a normal bf of 0.88. So, unless I'm missing something, here's what I'm seeing: Compared to a single SL15 driving two lamps- A good 1.15 bf ballast should give more lumens and more lumens/watt at a slightly higher initial cost and comparable running costs (though obviously higher running costs than a good .88 bf ballast) Compared to two SL15s driving two lamps - For the same initial cost, get a good 4 lamp ballast. It'll be more efficent and last longer. (of course this ignores the initial cost of the fixture - that's where the HD shoplight may have an edge) Thanks for the response!

Thank you for all the sweet comments on the table! I showed him and it made him feel very good which in turn will make him more willing to build something else for me! Lol! He has built a ton of things in our home and they always end up turning out great as he is a perfectionist. He actually cut the table down shorter for me today and I think it looks a lot better. I wish I would have left it just a bit taller but too late now! It is right at 34 now. I'll post some pics in a few minutes.

Those two lamps I had forgotten about kept in the basement since last summer, a lady was giving away lots of home contents trying to empty her house for sale, I was just driving by in my way to drop my son off to a soccer practice, so my son chose those lamps and two big size china, I just put the letters on the bottom of the 2nd lamp and came up with some similars on ebay, here is a link http://m.ebay.com/itm/pair-Art-Deco-etched-opalescent-glass-lily-lamps-signed-DAVART-13-ca1930-/161977148483?nav=SEARCH I have to find good shades for them, And here the other China I got from the same house, I don't know what age are they

Next time try Lutron Caseta. You can install a wall mounted Pico remote that acts like a companion switch to the main switch/dimmer. You don't have to figure out the 3-way wiring as the Pico runs on battery power and can mount inside and electrical box. They are also handy for creating multi-way switches where you have no wiring at all and fit neatly inside a Lutron Claro wallplate.