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Re: Ballasts, Compact Florescents or PL bulbs, Florescent tubes



> Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 09:10:03 -0800 (PST)
> From: Diana Berberich <fishfaceid at yahoo_com>
> Subject: Ballasts, Compact Florescents or PL bulbs, Florescent tubes
> 
> Hello Folks:
>      I have not felt that my questions have been
> properly answered by vendors regarding ballasts.  I
> want to know if the ballasts that run 4 florescent
> tubes in a 36 inch hood will run those PL or compact
> florescent lights like AH supply sells without doing
> harm to the latter.  I personally feel there should be
> no difference if I match the wattages in a conversion
> from one to the other.  It is true.  What do I need to
> look out for.  I want to convert an old hood over to
> the new double tube compact florescents and use my old
> and very new ballast.
> Thanks, Diana

The ballast should say on top what lamps it will work with, or you can
look up the specifications at its manufacturer's web site.  I do know
that an F40T12 ballast will operate some 36W compact fluorescent lamps
(the long twin tube lamps that are 16.5" long), and an F32T8 or F40T8
ballast will operate the 36W - 40W compact fluorescents that are 22.5"
long.  The lamp operating characteristics are *almost* identical to what
the ballast was designed for.  You may lose the UL or CSA safety rating
for the ballast if you use it with a different formfactor lamp than it
was intended.

Best regards,
Bob