Re: 1 Lightng Question, and one of my own.

["Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill at rt66_com>]

Larry Botkin asked:

>     Can you replace the T12 Fluorescents in your standard Home Depot
> fixture with T8 type bulbs or do you have to change ballasts.

Yes if....

T8 and T12 refer just to the diameter of the tube.  A fixture built for 40
watt tubes and shipped with T12 tubes can be equipped with the same type
of 40 watt T8 tube.  There are two problems.  You can't replace the T12s
with 34 watt high-efficiency T8s unless the fixture has a hybrid ballast
(unlikely) and you can't replace rapid start T12s (or other types) with
preheat T8s (they use different starting methods). 


Now my own question...

I'm building some new hoods and want to be able to run (preheat)
Vitalites, but I also want the option of later using rapid start bulbs in
the fixtures.  The preheat circuit also requires a lot less wiring than a
rapid start circuit, and that's significant when you want to use a remote
ballast.  I think that fixtures built for preheat bulbs can run rapid
start bulbs, but do the rapid start bulbs take a hit in performance or
life expectancy? 


Roger Miller

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