Ballast problems with T8??????

[D KRAGER]

Has anyone had problems with the new electronic ballasts on the T8 fixtures?

I've been investigating this because I have a bunch of free 4 bulb 4' T-12's. Been trying to decide if I should put them up, replace with 4 bulb T-8 ballast ($16), or buy new T-8 fixtures.

In my investigation, I ran across an electritian's forum much like this one. Almost all of them said that the new electronic ballast in the T8's are junk! They were saying that you're lucky to get 5 years out of them. Actually some of the guys on there were saying they like the new (junk, as they say) ballast because it gives them more work replacing them......????? One guy even said he's stocking up on T-12 bulbs and ballasts because the old ones are made better, even though it takes more power to run a T-12.

So now I'm kind of thinking just to put up the T-12's the way they are. After all they were free, so if down the road I have to change over I still can.

 

[Mr_fixit]

t-8's way better than t-12's. For me, I'd only replace t-12's with something better.

 

[Falcon67]

I've had only a couple of T8 ballasts die and the replacements worked fine. Yes, the replacement costs more than the fixture but if you buy another fixture - hey, you just bought the same cheap-azz ballast that just died, so what did you save? T-12s are going to disappear, so why go backwards. The T8s with the electronic ballasts are much better lights.

 

[1Garageman]

T-12s are going to disappear, so why go backwards. The T8s with the electronic ballasts are much better lights.

VERY GOOD POINT!
Thanks for the info!

 

[D KRAGER]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong..... I've read that you can use the T-12 fixtures and change the ballast to a T-8, the bulb holders are the same. That might be the way I end up doing it as money allows.

Anyone know how long they will make the T-12 bulbs?

 

[D KRAGER]

I'm a *******, my wife works for an electrical supply house, so ok I called them, no one there really knows how much longer they will make the bulbs...????? Probly wait til the government makes them quit making them, then that'll be it. Although I heard someone say 2012 was gonna be the end?

 

[D KRAGER]

Finally got an answer on the T12's , 2013 is when they are going to quit making bulbs.

 

[thammel]

I bought 8' long t8 light fixtures at HD for about $30 each. Had electronic ballasts. Supposed to be quiet. Put them and and heard hum. Went back to HD and bought good GE electronic ballasts for another $30 each and replaced the origianl ones with these and they are quiet. You get what you pay for.

Tom

 

[Shocker]

My Walmart Lights of America units (4ft) were about $9.80 and are working great. No hum.

If I get 5 years out of them, very much worth it.

 

[hetkind]

I just gave away a case of 30 T-12 bulbs...all the new lights going in are T-8 because they will be maintainable...

I had many bad experiences with bad t-12 ballasts on brand new fixtures.

Howard

 

[Chris Adams]

On HD 'cheap' lights, I have a horrific failure rate on T12 AND on T8 units.

Thirty to forty bucks for a light that won't stay lit.

The cheap ones, from WalMart I have had one ballast just die, after a month. I have 15 of them running right now, so 1 in 16 dead.

My lights get very hot (today is cool, but the air temp up at the lights is almost 100. I'm in the desert.

It also gets cold.

I abuse the lights by flipping them on and off several, maybe a dozen, times a day.

Notice the cheap ones work better than the 40 buck ones.

I figure at ten bucks a fixture they are a fungible item. Replace as needed.
The ballasts are the size of a pack of cigarettes, and cost about the same...

 

[Mr_fixit]

My Walmart Lights of America units (4ft) were about $9.80 and are working great. No hum.

If I get 5 years out of them, very much worth it.

Good luck if you can get them to last that long. I'll never buy one of the lights of America again. Had at least half of them out of a dozen go in less than 6 months.