Fluorescent ballast wiring

[givemeaclue60]

Just wondering if anyone can help.
I've got a fluro fitting which only has 1 cable at each of the end caps that is looped between the two terminals on the cap. The new electronic ballasts shows wiring for the normal wiring of two wires to each end cap.
Will I need to run an extra wire to each end cap or is there a way of wiring the ballast without doing that? I've looked online but can't find anything.
Cheers

 

[ericmark]

Oh have not seen that for some time, mainly on caravan fluorescents, yes for most ballasts the heaters are used, so does need all 4 wires, there is a different way to wire the wire wound to electronic, so there is no standard wiring diagram, in most cases it is shown on the ballast.

 

[flameport]

Will I need to run an extra wire to each end cap

Why and where are you installing new fluorescent lighting in 2024?

 

[ericmark]

Why and where are you installing new fluorescent lighting in 2024?

I did wonder about that, although there is hardly anything in the cost of running a HF ballast and fluorescent to running LED, only real difference is mercury instead of arsenic, and in general more waste generated with LED to fluorescent, as more is renewed.

So can't really say one should change, only reason to change is being forced by governments.

 

[JohnW2]

So can't really say one should change, only reason to change is being forced by governments.

... and, presumably, future progressive difficulty in finding tubes. As flameport implied, to be installing a new fluorescent fitting today might be less than wise, for that reason.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Why and where are you installing new fluorescent lighting in 2024?

Why not, they are almost as efficient as LED?

 

[Gigagator]

... and, presumably, future progressive difficulty in finding tubes. As flameport implied, to be installing a new fluorescent fitting today might be less than wise, for that reason.

I wouldn't personally be too worried about that. I work in a large high school and we still have quite a lot of fluorescent fittings. Mostly 600x600 panels with 2ft tubes but also a lot of 4ft and 5ft battens.

During a recent venture to our local TLC to pick up some spare tubes, I enquired about how stocks were looking and they advised they had loads and no sign of stocks dwindling from their distributors either.

 

[JohnW2]

I wouldn't personally be too worried about that. I work in a large high school and we still have quite a lot of fluorescent fittings. Mostly 600x600 panels with 2ft tubes but also a lot of 4ft and 5ft battens. ... During a recent venture to our local TLC to pick up some spare tubes, I enquired about how stocks were looking and they advised they had loads and no sign of stocks dwindling from their distributors either.

Yes, they will undoubtedly be reasonably available for quite some time, although not for ever - but given their (usual) long life),that probably is not a cause for concern.

 

[JohnW2]

Why not, they are almost as efficient as LED?

Whilst in some senses that is literally true, my personal experience is that (perhaps due to the 'directionality' of light from an LED tube) when I replace a fluorescent tube with an LED which has roughly half the power and, technically speaking, half the light output (hence about the same 'efficiency' in that sense), the illumination the LED usually seems to be at least as good as was the fluorescent - certainly adequate for my purpose ...

... so, although a similar on-paper 'efficiency', my running costs (for what I perceive as similar illumination) falls by about 50%.

 

[ericmark]

I seem to remember item need supporting for 7 years, so we likey have another 5 years before suppliers are allowed to stop supplying fluorescent tubes.

 

[JohnW2]

I seem to remember item need supporting for 7 years, so we likey have another 5 years before suppliers are allowed to stop supplying fluorescent tubes.

I'm not sure who/what you think has the ability to dictate that a wholesaler or retailer "is not allowed" to stop supplying a particular product, if such is their choice!

In practice, so long as they can get supplies, they will presumably keep on selling a (any) product so long as there is a sufficient demand.

 

[FrodoOne]

I'm not sure who/what you think has the ability to dictate that a wholesaler or retailer "is not allowed" to stop supplying a particular product, if such is their choice!

In practice, so long as they can get supplies, they will presumably keep on selling a (any) product so long as there is a sufficient demand.

The European Commission has effectively banned fluorescent lighting for sale in the EU from September 2023.
(https://www.eceee.org/all-news/news...o-ban-fluorescent-lighting-by-september-2023/ )

"After August 24, 2023, all production and imports of fluorescent tubes into the EU will be stopped."

In the UK,
"From the first of September 2023, T5 and T8 fluorescent tubes will be phased out altogether; this doesn't mean you can't find them in the shops but that they are no longer being made." (https://www.sparksdirect.co.uk/blog/fluorescent-lamps-tubes-phased-out-september-2023 )


The "Australian Government" dictated that
all 10 amp and 15 amp flat-pin plugs sold after 3 April 2005 were required to have half-insulated Line and Neutral pins
and
that "old" plugs with non-insulated pins could not be sold after that date.

They had given over 12months warning of this ban - to allow old stocks to be sold.

 

[JohnW2]

In the UK,
"From the first of September 2023, T5 and T8 fluorescent tubes will be phased out altogether; this doesn't mean you can't find them in the shops but that they are no longer being made." (https://www.sparksdirect.co.uk/blog/fluorescent-lamps-tubes-phased-out-september-2023 )

I know that, which is part of the reason why I was asking eric who/what (and how?) he thought could render suppliers "not allowed" to stop selling them for the next 5 years.

 

[SUNRAY]

Why and where are you installing new fluorescent lighting in 2024?

Possibly as it's superior to other forms of lighting?

 

[SUNRAY]

Why not, they are almost as efficient as LED?

I'll even offer they are more efficient.