| Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff |
| Fluorescent lamp ballast question |
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| iXod:
This 120V, 60Hz lamp uses three F20T12-KB 20W 24-inch tubes (2 straight pins at each end) and a starter and a 2-wire ballast (non-electronic) for each lamp. Wired like this: I can't find any 2-wire ballasts to replace these. I find several 6-wire. These have 2 primary and 4 secondary wires. The secondaries connect one wire to each of the 4 pins. Can I upgrade these lamps to use these ballasts by eliminating the starter? Or just use them as indicated in the second diagram? The ballast I'm looking at: https://www.amazon.com/Keystone-Electronic-KTEB-120-1-TP-Fluorescent-Ballast/dp/B00C9GVRQ4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=B00C9GVRQ4&qid=1565498937&s=gateway&sr=8-1 Thanks. |
| trevatxtal:
on the same page you refer to is a two wire ballast. https://www.amazon.com/Keystone-KTEB-120-1-TP-EMI-Fluorescent-Ballast-1-Lamp/dp/B075V3V47K/ref=pd_sbs_328_2/132-0694794-5487633?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B075V3V47K&pd_rd_r=7564f7c7-058d-4353-9f4b-e0cfea937be3&pd_rd_w=4xUuO&pd_rd_wg=ZpewI&pf_rd_p=1c11b7ff-9ffb-4ba6-8036-be1b0afa79bb&pf_rd_r=1AZXZCJ1229FFZH9TTF8&psc=1&refRID=1AZXZCJ1229FFZH9TTF8. |
| iXod:
I see 4 wires coming out of the left end of that one. I need 2 wires. Not 2 secondary wires, 2 wires total. It’s basically an inductor. |
| james_s:
That's not the same. The ballasts he's referring to as "2 wire" are simple choke ballasts, they are nothing more than a coil of wire on an iron core. I think they banned conventional magnetic ballasts at some point so it may be hard to find an exact replacement however it's not difficult to rewire the fixture to use a modern electronic ballast like that one linked. Personally I like the old preheat choke ballasts with a separate starter, they have a certain charm and they tend to be very reliable. Not quite as efficient as most of the electronic ones though. |
| Zero999:
I thought 120V was too lower voltage for three fluorescent tubes in series? Hence the need for a transformer. Inductive ballasts needn't be inefficient. It's just they were built to a price, using minimal copper and iron. Rewiring the fixture to use a modern electronic ballast is a sensible option, or replace the tubes with LEDs. |
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