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Re: Ballast question
> The ballast for my 24" fixture is getting old and
> noisy. I have two spare ballasts intended for 30 watt
> lights. Would it be ok for me to wire one in to run a
> 20 watt light?
May I presume you are talking about "tar" ballasts, and not electronic
ballasts? If they are tar ballasts, then the one-word answer to your
question is: no. Ballasts must be matched to the tubes. They serve to limit
current flowing to the tube. A 30 watt ballast on a 20w tube would result in
very short life for the tube. Exception: there are a few tar ballasts that
are manufactured to run lamps of different wattage ratings. These are
specifically so marked on the ballast label. If it doesn't say 20 watt, then
you can't use it on a 20 watt tube without sacrificing most of the tube's
life.