Re: T8s, instant start, and e-ballasts

• To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
• Subject: Re: T8s, instant start, and e-ballasts
• From: "G.Tong" <gtong at sirius_com>
• Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 11:16:16 -0700

> >>3) And finally I heard someone mention that e-ballasts designed for a
> >>4' tube shouldn't be used to drive 2' tubes even thought they might
>  >>work. Is this so, and why?

> >For the same reason you wouldn't use a household extension cord to run
> >heavy farm equipment. Current and voltage capacity are important.

> Actually, it's OK to use a current regulated 4 foot electronic ballast
> to drive 2 foot tubes. (snip) Electrically it will be the same load as
> a four foot bulb.

Agreed. But make sure that the load with a different lamp configuration
*is* the same as the ballast rating. Substituting any two lamps for one
won't always work.

Greg. Tong
San Francisco, CA, USA

"Every infinity is composed of only two halves."

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