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Do XHL T8 tubes need special ballasts?...

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Sarah Austin...
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:12 pm
Guest
I just got some TCP 31032835XHL T8 tubes to try, 32W 48".

Put them in a 2 bulb fixture and turned them on, but they look pretty dim.

Did I screw up? Do you need a special ballast or something, to run these?

The advertising sounded like they're supposed to be super bright white
with high lumen output.
 
Victor Roberts...
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:19 am
Guest
On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:12:07 -0600, Sarah Austin
<SAustin at (no spam) pndfnospam.com> wrote:

[quote]I just got some TCP 31032835XHL T8 tubes to try, 32W 48".

Put them in a 2 bulb fixture and turned them on, but they look pretty dim.

Did I screw up? Do you need a special ballast or something, to run these?

The advertising sounded like they're supposed to be super bright white
with high lumen output.
[/quote]

I don't have any personal experience with this lamp, but the
TCP data sheet indicates they are standard T8 lamps, at
least from the electrical point of view. (The lamps are
rated to produce about 10% more light than conventional T8
lamps, which may be due to a better phosphor composition, if
the claim is true.)

The lamps should therefore work on any standard T8 ballast.

You say they are dim when installed in a "2 bulb fixture."
Is this fixture designed for T8 lamps, or for T12 lamps?
That is, does it have a T8 ballast or a T12 ballast? Both
T8 and T12 lamps come in 4-foot lengths and both have the
same base, but they are NOT interchangeable.

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Vic Roberts
http://www.RobertsResearchInc.com
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Sarah Austin...
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:40 pm
Guest
Victor Roberts <xxx at (no spam) lighting-research.com> wrote :

[quote]On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:12:07 -0600, Sarah Austin
SAustin at (no spam) pndfnospam.com> wrote:

I just got some TCP 31032835XHL T8 tubes to try, 32W 48".

Put them in a 2 bulb fixture and turned them on, but they look pretty
dim.

Did I screw up? Do you need a special ballast or something, to run
these?

The advertising sounded like they're supposed to be super bright
white with high lumen output.


I don't have any personal experience with this lamp, but the
TCP data sheet indicates they are standard T8 lamps, at
least from the electrical point of view. (The lamps are
rated to produce about 10% more light than conventional T8
lamps, which may be due to a better phosphor composition, if
the claim is true.)

The lamps should therefore work on any standard T8 ballast.

You say they are dim when installed in a "2 bulb fixture."
Is this fixture designed for T8 lamps, or for T12 lamps?
That is, does it have a T8 ballast or a T12 ballast? Both
T8 and T12 lamps come in 4-foot lengths and both have the
same base, but they are NOT interchangeable.

[/quote]
No, it's a standard T8 ballast and fixture.
 
Sarah Austin...
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:31 pm
Guest
My apologies for this: I just put up the fixture over my desk and it's
bright as heck.

When I tested it with the 2 new tubes, I did it in a large room with all
the other lights out and it was aimed up at the ceiling, which apparently
made them look dim, relative to the room.

Now that the fixture is mounted about 40" over my desk, facing down, it's
great, amazing.

Sorry for my mistake guys.
 
 
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