Here is a new Lititonia GT8 fixture open, this will be installed by me in my dads basement as part of a total re-wiring project, it uses 4 32 watt T8s and has an electronic ballast.
Edit/Update: this fixture was installed a month ago, now today the drop celling that was supporting it collapsed sending it flying into a wall (and cracking the dry wall) and destroying part of out model train layout it was so pose to light, it was ironically running at the time and the fixture was fine (it ended up hanging from the cable) and still running
My grandfather has 4 lamp troffers in his basement that have a mix of F40T12 and F40T12/34 lamps. They have magnetic Advance ballasts. He has some serious relamping to do.
So far the ballast seems to be fine, but those lampholders weren't quite far enough apart so I ended up having push them further back into the fixture just to get the lamps in, they are a horrible design too, it ended up taking myself plus someone else to hold the other end of the lamp - should it really take two people to install a lamp.
I was tempted to just replace all the sockets in this fixture but it that would ruin any warranty on it. For yours you'd be better off replacing all the sockets.
The older Lithonia fluorescents were decent but the new ones are just too badly built. For replacements I like using the Levitons or even better the Y-slot ones.
Looks like their build quality got worse after I bought my Lithonia wraps in late 08, mine came with decent Leviton sockets and a full ballast cover that was wide enough for a magnetic ballast. The new stuff has narrow ballast channels that can only accept a electronic ballast.
Yeah, Metalux/Cooper is better quality than Lithonia now, so is Visioneering but the box stores don't sell them. The US made American fluorescent lumes are good too.
Lowe's sells American Fluorescent wraps under their Utilitech name. I have a Lithonia and a American Made wrap. The AM wrap is so much better. The lamps are wired parellel so if one goes out, the other stays lit. There is no blackening on the lamps at all in the AM one. The Lithonia one has lots of blackening on the lamps. The lamps blink constantly too.
Here's what the stores here sell:
Home Depot: Lithonia
Lowe's: Cooper/Metalux and American Fluorescent but branded as Utilitech
RONA: Lithonia
Canadian Tire: Canarm
Home Hardware: mix of Lithonia and Thomas Lighting
Here at Lowe's the cooper broducts are boxed as Metalux/Cooper. The Cooper HID lighting was all phased out. It's just Utilitech now. I wish the lamps at the box stores cost less. I don't really like HD.
Home Depot: Lithonia
Lowe's: Cooper/Metalux and American Fluorescent but branded as Utilitech
RONA: Lithonia
Canadian Tire: Canarm
Home Hardware: mix of Lithonia and Thomas Lighting
Mostly the same brands as the US stores.