Fluoro ballasts and starters

Goth · 3rd November 2009, 12:33 PM

Do fluoro ballasts and starters have to be matched to a particular tube power?

If I have a fluoro light fixture which is already wired up and using, say, 20 W tubes, and I take the tubes out and replace them with say 10W tubes, using the same existing ballasts etc, is that OK?

desertstalker · 3rd November 2009, 12:40 PM

It should say on the ballasts what power tubes can be connected, from memory some of my light fittings have a 8-40W rating.

dohzer · 3rd November 2009, 4:19 PM

I don't think it will work, though I've never tried it. My UV box uses two 8W tubes linked in series with a 15W ballast. Use a ballast with equal or less power than that of your tubes.

LeadAccelerator · 4th November 2009, 12:44 AM

A 10W tube will be half the length of a 20W so unless you change the housing as well it won't fit.

Goth · 4th November 2009, 12:49 AM

Yeah, you've got to have appropriate tombstones to fit the tubes. I know.

3rd November 2009, 12:33 PM	#1
Goth They're in the kernel! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Melbourne Posts: 7,717	Fluoro ballasts and starters Do fluoro ballasts and starters have to be matched to a particular tube power? If I have a fluoro light fixture which is already wired up and using, say, 20 W tubes, and I take the tubes out and replace them with say 10W tubes, using the same existing ballasts etc, is that OK? __________________ "How is anyone supposed to know that this isn't just a bunch of crap?" - Richard Feynman.

3rd November 2009, 12:40 PM	#2
desertstalker Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 152	It should say on the ballasts what power tubes can be connected, from memory some of my light fittings have a 8-40W rating. __________________ My gallery - SmugMug

4th November 2009, 12:44 AM	#4
LeadAccelerator Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Adelaide Posts: 560	A 10W tube will be half the length of a 20W so unless you change the housing as well it won't fit. __________________ Selling my inert ammunition collection (grenades, mines, bombs, rockets, cannon shells, cannon, bullets etc) no license required in SA & some other states. Click to view gallery! Selling very fast on OZtion, send me a PM for details. Successful trades: ViperAMD, Joker22, Descartes, bogaurd, Detritus, Stanza, $tealthFiga, SupremeMoFo

4th November 2009, 12:49 AM	#5
Goth They're in the kernel! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Melbourne Posts: 7,717	Yeah, you've got to have appropriate tombstones to fit the tubes. I know. __________________ "How is anyone supposed to know that this isn't just a bunch of crap?" - Richard Feynman.

3rd November 2009, 4:19 PM	#3
dohzer Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,193	I don't think it will work, though I've never tried it. My UV box uses two 8W tubes linked in series with a 15W ballast. Use a ballast with equal or less power than that of your tubes.