ballasts etc

[Dave2010]

chaps,

got an old 5ft fluro fitting today that was not working. In line fuse had blown so replaced it and then the ballast decided to give up and ooze black tar crap everywhere.
Im quite new to this commercial aspect of stuff inclusing these older fittings. Looking through internet i think i've worked out its an old magnetic ballast and uses the little starters to get going. I know its prob easier and cheaper to replace with a full new fitting but im keen to learn a little
So.....could these ballasts be simply replaced with new electronic ones or is it not the simple. Can anybody offer some advice or guidance on your experience of these?

cheers fellas

 

[Lectrician]

Yep, you could swap it out. You would need to rewire the internals of the fitting - you can get the solid high temp PVC cable from many suppliers if you need to replace any of the interconnections.

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=183-9225

 

[Dave2010]

so it is quite a hassle then LOL

would you need to rewire the internals because you would no longer need need the starters is that right?

 

[RF Lighting]

Yes.

If it's just a standard fluorescent batten then swap the whole fitting out. They are nearly as cheap as a replcement ballast, and youll save loads of time faffing about.

The only time I'd replace a ballast would be on some fancy architectural fitting or maybe if just one ballast had failed on a 4 lamp recessed mod fitting.

 

[Dave2010]

ok nice one

so is switch start what i have now???? and would it be replaced with this

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...UCSTHZOCFFY?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=52968

or for the extra money is this better as its HF

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...UCSTHZOCFFY?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=70429

cheers again

 

[Steve]

I would always go for high frequency.

 

[pheonix]

In my work if I come across any fittings that have burnt out ballasts I always replace the fittings with brand new HF versions.

The extra money on the HF version will be worth it in the long term as tubes (good quality like GE, Osram, Philips) last a lot longer and use less power.

 

[RF Lighting]

HF is more expensive to buy, and in my experience seem to have a higher failure rate than magnetic ballasts, but they are instant start, completely flicker free, can be used where rotating machinery is present, and they are more energy efficient than magnetic ballasts.

I personally would recommend HF to all my customers these days, and would use HF it the job was for my self.

 

[pheonix]

RF, just out of curiosity, are the HF ballasts you use/see in new fittings Tridonic by any chance?
Just in my experience Tridonic cannot make decent HF ballasts for T8 lamps, always seem to fail and in one case recently a new fitting with a Tridonic ballast I was putting into a Boots store blew up upon re-energising the circuit

Never had any problem with Philips HF ballasts though they can cost a bit more.

 

[RF Lighting]

Don't quote me on this, as I'm not certain, but I think a lot of them have been tridonic. It's been in a variety of fittings, but mainly 600mm and 1200mm recessed mods, and 2D 28W/38W standard and combined em invertor ballasts.

IIRC tridonic is the ballast of choice in thorn fittings.

We did a new build office 18 months ago with about 150 58W twin cat2 surface HF fittings manufactured by tamshite. We had 10 fittings which were dead straight out of the box

 

[ricicle]

I haven't had a problem with any retro-fitted Tridonic HF ballasts yet...
Just about to try some Harvard as well.....

 

[pheonix]

Speaking of carp manufacturers don't get me started on Hacel

 

[Dave2010]

ok guys thanks for the advice

so just checking, if i replace fitting for a new HF, im assuming if i generally stay with the same 58Watts i dont have to work out any difference in loading on the circuit or anything?? Should techincally be a straight swap yeah

 

[LoveRocket]

Yeah.

 

[Dave2010]

hello again

purchased a new fitting today (switch start to save money ) anyways, old fitting had an 4A inline fuse fitted, new fitting has nothing you can just wire straight in?

any help greatly appreciated again LOL

cheers