Better/cheaper ballast?
- Thread starter MadMike78
- Start date
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
Better and cheaper? 
Doesn't exist
The T-8 conversion like Norcal mentioned doesn't come in a kit, but are available as separate items at HD and Lowes.
All you'd need to convert them would be T-8 ballasts, some T-8 lamps and a few wire nuts.
Doesn't existThe T-8 conversion like Norcal mentioned doesn't come in a kit, but are available as separate items at HD and Lowes.
All you'd need to convert them would be T-8 ballasts, some T-8 lamps and a few wire nuts.
Aceman
Well-known member
I agree with Norcal. Replace the fixtures with T8 8' 4 lamp strips.
CGT80
Well-known member
The 8' housing isn't setup to run 4 of the 4' lamps. X3 on getting a T8 8' fixture with 4 lamps. The 4' t12 fixtures would be easier to retrofit. In a retrofit you could need new tombstones as well, along with the ballast and lamps. Basically, you end up just reusing the sheet metal. If the light fixture is used as a J box and would be a paint to replace, then retrofit is sometimes easier. The new fixtures are not that expensive.
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
MadMike78 wanted cheap, hence the title of the thread.
I agree that the best thing would be to buy new 4 lamp 8' fixtures.
You don't have to change the lampholders (tombstones) in the case of this retrofit.
I agree that the best thing would be to buy new 4 lamp 8' fixtures.
You don't have to change the lampholders (tombstones) in the case of this retrofit.
House
Active member
I had 3 rows of T12 two bulb 8' lamps in my garage. I have found it is pretty much as cheep to replace the whole fixture with T8s that have 4 -4' bulbs than to change my ballasts out to T8. And also the 4' spare bulbs are easier to store.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
How do you get 8 footers home !
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I have heard some horror stories about electronic ballasts. RF noise and when many are located on the same circuit, issues with breaker getting hot.
Any brand better than others ?
Any brand better than others ?
CGT80
Well-known member
T8 lamps put out more lumens than T12 lamps, in the case of 4 footers, but I would not expect to need "not nearly as many." If you have way too much (can that really happen? LOL) light now, then you could reduce the number of fixtures. I prefer to use more than enough and have the room switched in sections or A B switching.
I used to install and repair lighting as a pro, along with doing various other trades. Needless to say, I had a chance to work with many lights, ballasts, and lamps. I didn't get too much into the specialty or oddball stuff. 95% + of it was typical office, warehouse, or exterior MH and HPS lighting.
2.5 years ago, I installed a dozen of the 8' 4 lamp t8 fixtures, from home depot, in my 2.5 gar garage. Over the last few months they have gotten the itch to be repaired. I have changed about a third of the lamps and already had to change out two ballasts. HD has the yellow residential grade 120v ballast and the blue 120/277 commercial grade. I don't know how they compare, but I bought the commercial one yesterday, which was a bit cheaper, but is supposed to be less efficient. It is a cake walk to change a ballast for a like type. Cut the wires, exchange the ballast and match the colors. This ballast was $15 plus tax. I don't recall the brand but the ballast said Advanced on them.
To move 8' lamps, I tape them together and put them in the bed of my truck (8' bed) or tape them to the ladder rack. I would rather buy 10+ packs of 4' lamps. The U shaped lamps are a PITA as well, but I only ran into those in 2x2 troffer lights.
The electronic ballasts are far better than the magnetic. I have not had issues with them, other than going out eventually. They are lighter than magnetic, and they don't leak when they go bad. I have a CFL in my bathroom that likes to hum and buzz. It is the same model as what I put in there a few years ago, but the new one is noisy. Interference hasn't been an issue in the commercial buildings and offices that I worked on, but I won't say that it isn't impossible for it to happen.
You might get some money for 8' fixtures that use 8' lamps, but smart people would skip that and buy the new fixtures for the same reason you are thinking about it. I could only see someone picking up old fixtures if they already have a lot of that style and want to keep it the same. I got rid of all the 8' lamps at home and have started to convert the t12 4' fixtures to t8. T12 is pointless, in my opinion.
I used to install and repair lighting as a pro, along with doing various other trades. Needless to say, I had a chance to work with many lights, ballasts, and lamps. I didn't get too much into the specialty or oddball stuff. 95% + of it was typical office, warehouse, or exterior MH and HPS lighting.
2.5 years ago, I installed a dozen of the 8' 4 lamp t8 fixtures, from home depot, in my 2.5 gar garage. Over the last few months they have gotten the itch to be repaired. I have changed about a third of the lamps and already had to change out two ballasts. HD has the yellow residential grade 120v ballast and the blue 120/277 commercial grade. I don't know how they compare, but I bought the commercial one yesterday, which was a bit cheaper, but is supposed to be less efficient. It is a cake walk to change a ballast for a like type. Cut the wires, exchange the ballast and match the colors. This ballast was $15 plus tax. I don't recall the brand but the ballast said Advanced on them.
To move 8' lamps, I tape them together and put them in the bed of my truck (8' bed) or tape them to the ladder rack. I would rather buy 10+ packs of 4' lamps. The U shaped lamps are a PITA as well, but I only ran into those in 2x2 troffer lights.
The electronic ballasts are far better than the magnetic. I have not had issues with them, other than going out eventually. They are lighter than magnetic, and they don't leak when they go bad. I have a CFL in my bathroom that likes to hum and buzz. It is the same model as what I put in there a few years ago, but the new one is noisy. Interference hasn't been an issue in the commercial buildings and offices that I worked on, but I won't say that it isn't impossible for it to happen.
You might get some money for 8' fixtures that use 8' lamps, but smart people would skip that and buy the new fixtures for the same reason you are thinking about it. I could only see someone picking up old fixtures if they already have a lot of that style and want to keep it the same. I got rid of all the 8' lamps at home and have started to convert the t12 4' fixtures to t8. T12 is pointless, in my opinion.
Platonic Solid
Well-known member
Everything CGT8 said 
Advance is the brand, a Philips owned company.
Good luck with that. I think at this stage in the game they're worth their weight as scrap metal.
Major players are Sylvania, Advance (Philips) and Universal. I used Sylvania for the "Lighting System Comparison" spreadsheet I posted in The Best Light Fixture Ever thread, as Sylvania provided the most detailed information.