Fluorescent ballasts ....wtf, they changed those too now!

Christ almighty .... Damn these friggin tree hugging *censored*! Take something simple and turn it into an all-day affair.

So my 96" T12 lights went out on one side of the barn the other day. It's a 2-lamp deal, so if one goes out, they all go out. So I figure since the end is as black as coal, and I think I replaced this one back in '04 after smashing one by accident, it's time for a replacement anyway. Dealt with it as long as I could, but last night I was getting pissed off not being able to see wtf I was doing, so I headed out (yet again) on the mean streets of MA for a day of sitting in traffic & getting stuck behind people who go 20 UNDER the *censored* limit ...

Went to the local big box store & grabbed a pair of 75w 3500k fluorescents to replace the 60w 4100k ones that I never liked the minute I installed them. Deal with all this bullshit traffic, get home, install them, flip the switch - of *censored* course - NOTHING. Not even a God damn flicker. Installed the other 2 bulbs in the other set on the opposite side of the barn, and they work .. although REALLY dim in the center. Come to find out that's because they cut down on the mercury in these treehugger-friendly things nowadays. Got to run them about 20 hours before that *censored* goes away! What a joke!!

So I start shopping for ballasts. Of course, the ones I have are illegal now, so now I get to install some electronic piece of *censored* that probably won't last 2 years out in the barn to replace the ones that lasted 20 years or so.


I refuse to hit the road again today - way too pissed off. Going to buy online.

So, question of the day: You guys know anything about these stupid assed new fangled electronic ballasts? Any idea what I need to run (2) 75w F96T12 lamps?

http://www.ballastshop.com/fluorescent- ... erates=163

Electronic ballasts work fine, I have converted several of my old fixtures and they work great.

Don't waste your time changing just the ballasts. The tree huggers have you by the bulbs. (pun).

T-12 bulbs have been discontinued and only t-8 will be available. 96" bulbs will go away.

Convert those fixtures that take the 96" t 12 into a fixture that takes (4) 48" t-8. You change out the ballast, and lamp holders. There are companies that have kits.

Thanks for the link Rob. Figures the one I wanted is out of stock. But at least I know what to look for now.

Looks like I've got to rewire the whole *censored* setup for these electronic wonders. Great. Like I have nothing better to do ...

Thanks for that info too Steamup. That completely figures. Guess I'll just have to buy a case of 15 & throw them up in the loft. That'll keep me going long enough until LED technology finally comes into workin' man's price range. Whatever I have left I could probably sell for $50 each by that time.

Pretty soon it will be illegal to own wrenches, the rate we're going. God help us if this jackass gets re-elected ....

Smitty, I feel your pain I ended putting up some high pressure sodium's but in any event it was the other *censored* that started the phase out in 2005. In parts of my garage I got a mixture of new & old, I keep looking for spares at auctions but always get outbid. Wouldn't mind getting a box of old style bulbs for back-up.

samhill wrote: ... it was the other *censored* that started the phase out in 2005. ......

I know that Sam ... but it doesn't make it any better having an R after their name. Anyone who legislates this *censored* is an *censored* regardless of party.

What needs to start happening is, these manufacturers need to cowboy up & tell the feds to stick it up their ass & continue to make them anyway. If we can import 200 tons of coke a year, surely someone can make some *censored* lights that work ...

I WILL NOT COMPLY.

Tip of advice for the ballast bullshiiit, make sure your using the T rated size bulb the ballast wants you to use with the voltage you are suppling. Ive replaced too many bad ballasts due to incorrect sizing.

Yeah good point - I just learned the difference between a T12 & a T8 at the store today. Didn't know that was the diameter of the bulb until I saw it in person.

I thought the pins were different widths so that you couldn't use one in the others fixture, I got some of both & I'm pretty sure that's the way it is.

The size indicates the diameter of the bulb in 8th's of an inch.
The is even a T5 size bulb but these are more high intensity type lights.

Yeah I thought all T12's were single pin - learned that was incorrect in the store. Like Steamup said, it's the diameter of the bulb only. You can have a F96T12 and have one pin, or 2 pins, or 2 recessed pins! Gotta keep your eyes open shopping for these things.

Divide the T # by 8, and that's the diameter of the bulb in inches.

I converted one of my kitchen lights to T8 bulbs with an electronic ballast. I previously had four T12 bulbs and two magnetic ballasts, now it has four T8 bulbs and single electronic ballast. I think it was just under $40 for the bulbs and ballast, and the new bulbs snapped right in the existing sockets (2 pin).

Now how did that go so smoothly without having to cut holes in the fixture for the shorter connections?

... ERRRRRR there I go again ... DIAMETER ... not LENGTH ....

Damn this is a great forum! I was just thinking about my flourescent set up which is going south. Cheap 4' HD fixtures, I guess I got a few years out of them anyway. I have a 4 outlet box in the rafters, 4 fixtures plugged into that one. Just recently, one unit worked sometimes, then died. Now the next one had a flickering bulb, that one is on the way out. I don't know what their specs are better find out. I have a box of Phillips bulbs that I was still considering "my new box of bulbs". Look at a bulb and the date is 2003 WTF where did ten years go? My alternative seems to be get more junk Chink fixtures at HD.

An electrician friend gave me a few sodium gym light fixtures years ago, I hooked them up and they just sat there with a low dull yellow glow. I took them back to him. He said you dummy they need a minute to warm up! I could have had a well lit shop. Always something.

Used to get mercury metal and roll it around in our hands when we were kids....

Yeah my ol' man was just telling me the story of his 3rd grade class - that would make it around the late 40's. The class passed around about a half-ounce of mercury, pouring it into the hands of the person behind them, around the class, then back into the teachers hand.

That also reminds me of the story this old man was telling me back in '95 as we watched a full suited haz-mat team yellow tape off a transformer, and haul it out into a sealed tractor trailer, placarded for transport. He said back in the day, guys used to gear down & throw on a pair of swim trunks, and JUMPED WAIST DEEP into the PCB liquid to make repairs.

What the hell happened to us???