Question on compatability of T12 and T8 fixtures

[ljerabek]

My father in-law has T12 rapid start fixtures in his garage, he replaced one that went bad with a T8 Instant start fixture. The T8 instant start fixture now no longer works. It is my belief that the rapid start fixtures caused this failure. Is there an issue with the compatability between the two?

 

[copper chopper]

we need more info= did he replace the whole fixture or just parts, is this in a cold wheather climate ? or maybe the ballast on the t-8 light was defective new and needs replacing, ( seen that a few times ).

 

[LEO2854]

My father in-law has T12 rapid start fixtures in his garage, he replaced one that went bad with a T8 Instant start fixture. The T8 instant start fixture now no longer works. It is my belief that the rapid start fixtures caused this failure. Is there an issue with the compatability between the two?

Why would the old fixtures have anything to do with the new T-8 fixture?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

My guess is he has T-12 magnetic ballast and replaced the bulbs with T-8 bulbs that should be used with an electronic ballast.

I believe this can cause pre mature failure however I have had T-8 in my house for many years with a T-12 ballast.

 

[Electric-Light]

My father in-law has T12 rapid start fixtures in his garage, he replaced one that went bad with a T8 Instant start fixture. The T8 instant start fixture now no longer works. It is my belief that the rapid start fixtures caused this failure. Is there an issue with the compatability between the two?

The ballast probably just failed prematurely. Nothing unusual with those $10 fixture inclusive of the fixture, hang chain and ballast.

 

[hurk27]

While many home owners are not aware of the difference between home grade fixture and commercial grade, many of the big box store sell a cheap home grade with small cheap ballast, Menard's only has home grade where Lowe's and Home Depot have both but you have to ask.

I run into this back when T-12 were still available, and the home grade would have this little ballast that was about half the size of a regular two lamp F40 T-12 ballast, some of these newer home grade T-8 ballast are even smaller and barely light the lamps and had a much lower lumens output then the commercial grade, I hated when homeowners supplied them as I knew we would get called back in a few months, then have to explain that there is no warranty from us because we did not supply them.