What Are The Different Types Of Ballasts For Dimming A Fluorescent Fixture?

Fluorescent ballasts use three different types of starting technologies: rapid, instant, and programmed.

What are the different type of fluorescent ballast?

There are two basic types of fluorescent ballasts: magnetic (low frequency) and electronic (high frequency). Most fluorescent ballasts are now electronic, which are more efficient than magnetic ballasts.

Do you need a special ballast to be able to dim fluorescent lighting?

Can I Dim a Fluorescent Light Bulb? For fluorescent bulbs, a dimming ballast is required. The Lutron company invented the world’s first electronic dimming ballast some 30 years ago.

How can you tell if a ballast is dimmable?

The main impact on the spectrum when dimming the ballast is a decrease in the amount of red light, while keeping green and yellow the same. Basically, as the bulb is dimmed, it experiences a slight shift in the peak from red toward green.

How do I know if my ballast is T8 or T12?

If no markings are available, the size in diameter of the tube is the easiest way to determine the type you have installed. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.

Are all T8 ballast the same?

Not every T8 ballast is created equal.In such a case, a programmed start ballast might be better choice. Programmed start ballasts also work well in dimming applications, because as a lamp is dimmed, the electrodes cool. Programmed-start ballasts can heat the electrodes as they cool, prolonging lamp life.

What is a dimming ballast?

dimming ballasts specifically designed to work. with some reduced wattage lamps. A linear fluorescent lamp consists of a glass tube. containing low pressure mercury vapor with a tungsten. filament at each end.

How many wires must be run between a dimming type fluorescent ballast and the dimmer control?

two wires
Two-wire controlled ballasts have two wires between the dimmer control and the ballast: Dimmed Hot and Neutral.

Can you dim a magnetic ballast?

Dimming systems are currently available for both magnetic and electronic ballasts, but due to legislation that has effectively banned most magnetic ballasts bulbs.com strongly recommends using an electronic ballast-based system.

Can I replace a T12 ballast with a T8 ballast?

The easiest and lowest price option to replace a T12 is a T8 linear fluorescent. They have become the go-to option for pre-existing T12s. If you still have magnetic ballasts, switching to a T8 will require a ballast swap. Another option is to move forward with an LED retrofit.

Are all fluorescent ballasts the same?

And there are two types of ballasts in each family: magnetic and electronic. Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology. For the fluorescent family, both T12 linear fluorescents and two-pin CFLs use magnetic ballasts.Today, most fluorescent and HID lamps operate off an electronic ballast.

Are T8 and T12 bulbs the same?

The main difference between T8 and T12 tubes is the tube’s diameter. T12 tubes are 1.5″ in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won’t fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they’ll fit just fine.

Why are my dimmable lights not dimming?

Damage Control
Overlamping a dimmer switch is the most common reason a dimmer switch fails.When a dimmer switch fails, the lights might not go out but remain on, burning up electricity and requiring a change out of the dimmer switch. A power surge can also take down your dimmer.

Do dimmer switches need special bulbs?

A modern dimmer switch switch functions the same way as if you turn a light ON and OFF really fast. These switches are designed to work with CFLs, Halogens, and Incandescent light bulbs. But the bulbs need to be of the latest technology and must have the feature of dimming to allow it to be used with a dimmer switch.

What is the difference between magnetic and electronic ballast?

A magnetic ballast uses coiled wire and creates magnetic fields to transform voltage.An electronic ballast uses solid state components to transform voltage. It also changes the frequency of the power from 60 HZ to 20,000 HZ or higher depending on the ballast.

Will a T8 fit in a T12 fixture?

T8 tubes are simply 1 inch in diameter versus the 1.5 inch diameter of T12 tubes. In an effort to make LED tube lights compatible with the internal dimensions of most fixtures, you will find that most LED tube lights feature a T8 or 1 inch diameter. They can indeed be used in T12 fixtures.

What’s better T5 or T8?

If you do not need as many lumens, the lesser wattage T8 would be the better choice since it offers lower lumen and watt consumption. If you need higher levels of lighting, the T5 might be ideal for your situation.

What does T8 and T12 mean?

A T12 lamp (on the left in the figure below) is therefore twelve-eighths of an inch, or one-and-one-half inches (3.81 cm), in diameter. A T8 lamp (on the right in the figure below) is eight-eighths of an inch, or one inch (2.54 cm), in diameter.

What is the difference between T5 and T10 bulbs?

“Five-sided lighting” , Bulbs uses five-sided lighting in order to increase brightness and wider angle of brightness area. In fact, the history of T5 is same as late evolution of T10. We got to solve the problem that the illuminate breadth is not enough, resulting in multi-faceted illumination.

What is class P ballast?

Class P: A ballast for a fluorescent lamp which meets the requirements of the Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc.; includes an automatic resetting thermal protector to remove the ballast from the circuit if its temperature exceeds a specified value.

Which of the following ballast is most efficient?

Instant Start Ballast
This is the most efficient type of ballast.