Re: Ballasts for flourescent lights

["Wayne Jones" <waj at mnsi_net>]

Bob wrote:

The 36W compact fluorescents that are 16.5" long with a single T5 tube
bent in half will work just fine on a F40T12 ballast.  That old "tar"
ballast that you have in your junk box from an old 4' fluorescent
fixture should work -- the lamp has *very* similar electrical
characteristics as the old 40W T12 lamps.  The 36W to 40W compact
fluorescents that are 22.5" long will work just fine on a ballast made
for F32T8 lamps (usually electronic, but I think there are some magnetic
ballasts out there.)

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Those 22.5" lamps that are not 55 watt are a different technology than
many of the other PCs. They are like an energy saver lamp and produce
less light per unit of length or like compact fluorescents which will
also run on non HF ballasts. Some manufacturers mark the 55 watt lamps
HF but not the 40 watt lamps. The phosphors available are different too.
I believe AH Supplies 40 watt PCs will work on a tar ballast but the 55
watt lamps and the 36 watt lamps will not.

Wayne