recommendations for a F15 T8 fluorescent?

Hi all,

have an old Dazor drafting lamp that I would like to use as a desk lamp, but I'm on a big light quality/high CRI kick.

The current tubes in there are marked simply "5500K/Full Spectrum" with no other identifying marks.

I'd like to keep using this old lamp as it looks cool and functions perfectly, but am not sure what tubes to buy for it.

A quick search yields a Philips 399290 with a 5000K color temp and a CRI of 92 for about $11 each at the Orange Colored Store (CRI not listed on their web site, found that info elsewhere)

is there anything else that I should consider for this lamp?

I'm not completely sold on the 5000K color temp, I think I might prefer something a little warmer, maybe in the 4000-4500K range, but don't know what's out there...

thanks!

I have an old Marks Deluxe desk lamp that uses the same size tube. It has a GE F15T8-C50 "Chroma 50" tube in it. Googling on it, it has a CRI of about 90. I am no lighting expert, but I really like it and use it a lot. Never had to replace it, so I have no idea how it compares to the Philips.

Looks similar enough (botha are 5000K) that the choice between the two would come down to price and availability for me... good to know, I'll keep an eye out for that one as well.

The Marks Deluxe is a fun retro desk lamp. Very '50s-'60s looking. But it does draw some power. Kill-a-watt says 40 watts!

I meant the Philips vs. the GE tubes look similar on paper and I likely won't have a chance to audition them without buying...

but yes, our desk lamps are very similar as well! I had to DAGS for yours, if you imagine it with two tubes and a parallelogram arm rather than a gooseneck that's pretty much what the Dazor light looks like. Mine is legitimately vintage but they still make them today and they still look old (mine is a color that's been discontinued for years though, so I do have that little bit of vintage uniqueness.)

I'm afraid to measure current on mine... I actually could as I have both a Kill-A-Watt and an amp-clamp for my old Simpson meter... but I'm guessing with the old magnetic ballasts that my efficiency won't be significantly better than yours

I had thoughts about trying to retrofit an electronic ballast, but believe it or not the currently sold Dazor models still use the old school ballasts! So I'd be on my own figuring out wiring etc. I could do it but it wouldn't be plug 'n' play. Haven't been motivated because other than a little hum the thing works fine - of more importance to me would be to use the nicest tubes possible.

I also found a GE "showbiz" 15722 tube which is 3200K, 95 CRI... but can't find anywhere to buy it