[oil pan 4]

The digital meter I had at my last house had two additional readings that read "KWH 80% P.F." and KWH 60% P.F.", in the world of electrical generation and distribution there aren't very many things that could mean.
Then I have tested an old electro mechanical utility meter powering a 140w 500va 120v welder at no load versus light bulbs.
I found that a 200w light bulb didn't spin the meter nearly as fast as the welder. But the welder spun the meter as fast as a 500w halogen work light.
If the meter only counted watts then the 200w bulb should have spun the meter faster than the 140w 500va welder.
The only logical conclusion is that electromechanical and digital meters do read volt-amps.

As far as I can tell I am the only person to have ever actually tested this.

T5 high output is much better in the cold. I have fired mine up at about 12°F and they came right on, came up to full brightness in about 3 minutes.
But I'm also using enclosed commercial grade HO ballasts and German tubes in most of my fixtures.

My new place came with a pair of standard T5 fixtures with cheap Chinese ballasts and tubes, yeah i agree those are junk. So I know what you are talking about.
I may end up gutting them and putting in 120v T5 LED tubes in them.