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Retrofit fluorescent light fixtures
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Posted by Dean [Email] (more from Dean) on Wed, 8 Nov 2006 12:20:54 Share Post by Email
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I got tired of the hum from the fixture in my kitchen. It had four 48" tubes.

The old style tubes are referred to as T12 and are 1.25" in diameter.

There is a new spec, T8 which is 1" in diameter. These are designed to be used with electronic ballasts. These ballasts are the same length as the old kind to allow them to mount the same as the old. They are much lighter and about 1/2 the height as the old magnetic ballasts.

The ballast that I got from Home Depot was a GE UltraMax which powers 4 48" tubes. So one ballast replaces two of the magnetic ballasts that were in my fixture.

This T8 setup starts lamps without needing to run a preheat current through the cathode filaments. That means that only one wire connects to the end of each bulb. So that makes things easier to hook up.

The T8 lamps use the same sockets as the T12's; so nothing to change there.

Get the warm white bulbs, not the cool white. The warm white bulbs have a color temperature of 3000K.

The T8 bulbs are more efficient and last longer.
The electronic ballasts are more efficient, and instant starting.
The electronic ballasts are high frequency switching power supplies, in the case of the GE Ultramax, in has 4 output transformers and operates at 25 KHz. This makes it very quiet. I cannot hear it.

The retro fit was easy, removed the old ballasts with sockets. Removed wires from sockets by twisting the wires and gently pulling. Each socket 4 places to connect wires. Make short U jumpers to connect each side, the connect the new ballast to the sockets according to the diagram on the ballast. Wire colors are standardized.

It was easy to do and seems to be silent and should save energy.
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