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Fluorescent tubes and fixtures. terry 09-22-2006
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Posted by terry on September 22, 2006, 1:34 pm
Have just been given some fluorescent light fixtures from a school.

Each four tube fixture has a single 'electronic' ballast. The fixtures
use the skinnier/newer type tubes. I also received some of the newer
type tubes about one inch diameter.

All fluorescent tubes referred to here are the 48 inch style. (Yes I
ran into a few 'metric' ones a few years ago, which are a couple of
inches shorter)!

I also have older type fixtures. These have non-electronic ballasts and
two tubes per fixture.
Also a generous supply of the older style 40 and 34 watt fluorescent
tubes and spare new and used (non electronic ballasts).

I put a two of the the newer tubes into an old style fixture just to
test them out and they worked but after a while the non-electronic
ballast appeared to overheat and then operated intermittently (probably
due to thermal protection inside it cutting in and out?).

Q1: So it appears that it is NOT possible/safe/advisable to use the
'newer' tubes in 'older' fixtures?

I also put four of the older style tubes into one of the newer
(electronic ballast equipped) fixtures and they worked, fine it seemed.


Q2: So is it OK/possible/safe to use the older style tubes in an
electronic ballast equipped fixture?

Mechanically everything fits fine. Advice appreciated. Terry


Posted by JohnR66 on September 22, 2006, 10:07 pm
> Have just been given some fluorescent light fixtures from a school.
>
> Each four tube fixture has a single 'electronic' ballast. The fixtures
> use the skinnier/newer type tubes. I also received some of the newer
> type tubes about one inch diameter.
>
> All fluorescent tubes referred to here are the 48 inch style. (Yes I
> ran into a few 'metric' ones a few years ago, which are a couple of
> inches shorter)!
>
> I also have older type fixtures. These have non-electronic ballasts and
> two tubes per fixture.
> Also a generous supply of the older style 40 and 34 watt fluorescent
> tubes and spare new and used (non electronic ballasts).
>
> I put a two of the the newer tubes into an old style fixture just to
> test them out and they worked but after a while the non-electronic
> ballast appeared to overheat and then operated intermittently (probably
> due to thermal protection inside it cutting in and out?).
>
> Q1: So it appears that it is NOT possible/safe/advisable to use the
> 'newer' tubes in 'older' fixtures?
>
> I also put four of the older style tubes into one of the newer
> (electronic ballast equipped) fixtures and they worked, fine it seemed.
>
>
> Q2: So is it OK/possible/safe to use the older style tubes in an
> electronic ballast equipped fixture?
>
> Mechanically everything fits fine. Advice appreciated. Terry
>
The "older" ones are probably T12 and the newer ones are T8. They have
differing voltage and current characteristics and are not interchangeable.
John



Posted by on September 23, 2006, 6:57 am
the newer style are probably a different wattage, the electronic balast
has some flexibility in this, while the old solid balast has to burn
off the extra energy as heat.

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terry wrote:
> Have just been given some fluorescent light fixtures from a school.
>
> Each four tube fixture has a single 'electronic' ballast. The fixtures
> use the skinnier/newer type tubes. I also received some of the newer
> type tubes about one inch diameter.
>
> All fluorescent tubes referred to here are the 48 inch style. (Yes I
> ran into a few 'metric' ones a few years ago, which are a couple of
> inches shorter)!
>
> I also have older type fixtures. These have non-electronic ballasts and
> two tubes per fixture.
> Also a generous supply of the older style 40 and 34 watt fluorescent
> tubes and spare new and used (non electronic ballasts).
>
> I put a two of the the newer tubes into an old style fixture just to
> test them out and they worked but after a while the non-electronic
> ballast appeared to overheat and then operated intermittently (probably
> due to thermal protection inside it cutting in and out?).
>
> Q1: So it appears that it is NOT possible/safe/advisable to use the
> 'newer' tubes in 'older' fixtures?
>
> I also put four of the older style tubes into one of the newer
> (electronic ballast equipped) fixtures and they worked, fine it seemed.
>
>
> Q2: So is it OK/possible/safe to use the older style tubes in an
> electronic ballast equipped fixture?
>
> Mechanically everything fits fine. Advice appreciated. Terry


Posted by Robert Gammon on September 23, 2006, 7:50 am
empress2454@wowway.com wrote:
> the newer style are probably a different wattage, the electronic balast
> has some flexibility in this, while the old solid balast has to burn
> off the extra energy as heat.
>
The electronic ballasts will burn up the old bulbs faster too.

So skinny bulbs in fixtures with electronic ballasts, fat bulbs in
standard ballasts.

Electronic ballasts cut total power consumption of the fixture by 33%


Posted by Husky on September 25, 2006, 11:36 pm
Robert Gammon wrote:
> empress2454@wowway.com wrote:
>
>> the newer style are probably a different wattage, the electronic balast
>> has some flexibility in this, while the old solid balast has to burn
>> off the extra energy as heat.
>>
>
> The electronic ballasts will burn up the old bulbs faster too.
>
> So skinny bulbs in fixtures with electronic ballasts, fat bulbs in
> standard ballasts.
>
> Electronic ballasts cut total power consumption of the fixture by 33%
>

There are also electronic ballasts available for T12 bulbs, but the cost
is several times that of induction ballasts.

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
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