Ballast question

[Buck Parrish]

I have three 8ft flourescent lights. The 120 volt feed comes in one end. Then it is spliced 120 volts to the ballast. (and neutral)
Then the other spliced wires goes to the ends of the bulbs. So one end of the bulbs have got 120 volts. one bulb gets the hot the other gets the neutral.
Two of these lights are working. One I was going to change the ballast that's how I noticed.
Have you all seen this coonfiguration ?

 

[K2X]

There is a little old general store by me that I maintain and all the fixtures were wire like that. Some still are but i'm getting around to them too. They are old and don't have a starter. I think the 120 across had something to do with the start? Swaping around wires for a new instant start ballast is pretty simple.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Thanks....

 

[hurk27]

Slim line fixtures are like that, (single end pin lamps)

they should be wired like this:

Hot and neutral comes in hits the fixed end ears, a second set of a hot and neutral leave this fixed end ear and runs to the ballast, this fixed end acts like a switch and shuts off the ballast when a lamp is removed, a red an blue wire runs from the other end of the ballast, and connects to the spring end ears.

Slim line fixtures were a troublesome ballast system, many would fail by shorting one side of the ballast and then the full voltage would go the the other lamp, causing it to fail, and or causing the ballast to loose it's smoke

Even when they do work you don't get much light and they are worthless in cold areas

 

[LarryFine]

Have you all seen this coonfiguration ?

Unless I'm mis-reading you, you have circuit-interrupting "tombstones" and single-pin tubes. The ballast has only four wires: white, black, red, and blue. When the tubes are removed, the ballast receives no power.

The red and white wires connect to one tube, and the black and blue wires connect to the other. The incoming white and black each go to the tombstones, and, when the tube ends are in place, on to the ballast.

Here's a diagram I drew in MS Word:

 

[Buck Parrish]

Thanks , Yeah that's it Larry, Hurk and k2.
And the one that does not work is in a non heated part of the warehouse.

 

[jumper]

the one that does not work is in a non heated part of the warehouse.[/QUOTE

they are worthless in cold areas

You guys ever try these
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/6V917?cm_mmc=Google Base-_-Lighting-_-Ballasts-_-6V917
for cold areas?
They use these lamps
http://www.grainger.com/1/1/77243-general-electric-f96t12-cw-ho-ct-lamp-f96t12-cw-ho-ct.html
I have had decent luck with fixtures that have them in unheated areas.

 

[Buck Parrish]

the one that does not work is in a non heated part of the warehouse.[/QUOTE

You guys ever try these
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/6V917?cm_mmc=Google%20Base-_-Lighting-_-Ballasts-_-6V917
for cold areas?
They use these lamps
http://www.grainger.com/1/1/77243-general-electric-f96t12-cw-ho-ct-lamp-f96t12-cw-ho-ct.html
I have had decent luck with fixtures that have them in unheated areas.

Yes, I have them in my unheated and partially open warehouse in Indy. And boy it gets cold their. They have been in for about ten years. 15 of them and they all still work good. I have the 120 v version of the high out put lights.

 

[hurk27]

the one that does not work is in a non heated part of the warehouse.[/QUOTE

You guys ever try these
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/6V917?cm_mmc=Google Base-_-Lighting-_-Ballasts-_-6V917
for cold areas?
They use these lamps
http://www.grainger.com/1/1/77243-general-electric-f96t12-cw-ho-ct-lamp-f96t12-cw-ho-ct.html
I have had decent luck with fixtures that have them in unheated areas.

HO is a great choice in unheated areas, but to retro-fit this to the existing fixtures will require changing the tombstones, and thats only if they will even provide the distance between them, I tried this once and the new HO bulbs would fall out. sometimes changing the fixture is a better option.

in most installs we do now we use T-5 fixtures from RUUD, more light output and longer life on the lamps, as well as more lumens per watt.

 

[Buck Parrish]

HO is a great choice in unheated areas, but to retro-fit this to the existing fixtures will require changing the tombstones, and thats only if they will even provide the distance between them, I tried this once and the new HO bulbs would fall out. sometimes changing the fixture is a better option.

in most installs we do now we use T-5 fixtures from RUUD, more light output and longer life on the lamps, as well as more lumens per watt.

That's what I'll end up doing. Just chunk the old one and install a new HO light.

 

[K2X]

I'll mention that I've run lots of 4 ft f32t8's, with an instant start, (parallel wired), ballast for cold shops, walk in coolers etc. . Almost all the major brands have a 0 degree start temp on their instant starts, (50 degrees on the rapid starts). I found that with a plastic tube guard to hold a little extra heat these ballast with the t-8's can easily go down to -10 f. But HO's really put out some nice light in the cold they are just expensive.

I personally would stay away from electronic HO's . I love electronic for 4 ft t-8's but anything in the 8 ft single pin or HO department I look for the heaviest magnetic ballast I can find. I think the HO ballast can get up into the 14 to 15 lb range. I love em. Well when i did lighting I did.

 

[R Bob]

I'll mention that I've run lots of 4 ft f32t8's, with an instant start, (parallel wired), ballast for cold shops, walk in coolers etc. . Almost all the major brands have a 0 degree start temp on their instant starts, (50 degrees on the rapid starts). I found that with a plastic tube guard to hold a little extra heat these ballast with the t-8's can easily go down to -10 f. But HO's really put out some nice light in the cold they are just expensive.

I personally would stay away from electronic HO's . I love electronic for 4 ft t-8's but anything in the 8 ft single pin or HO department I look for the heaviest magnetic ballast I can find. I think the HO ballast can get up into the 14 to 15 lb range. I love em. Well when i did lighting I did.

What exactly is the issue w/electronic HO ballasts?

Any other thoughts on electronic vs magnetic?