Starterless Ballast HELP!?

[skenk]

I am looking for a replacement for this:

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• skenk
• 17 May 2011
• 1

It is in a fitting (5ft) which is located in a room which stores (among other things) highly flammable liquids. There is ventilation to stop a build-up of explosive gases and these two fluorescent light fittings with a heavy duty sealed construction - the lamp is inside a clear tube and this ballast goes in a cylinder-shaped void accessible only when the fitting is disassembled.

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• skenk
• 17 May 2011
• 1

Untitled

• skenk
• 17 May 2011
• 1

Untitled

• skenk
• 17 May 2011
• 1

For obvious reasons I don't want to use a ballast with a sparking choke. The only electronic starters I can find are too long. Max size it can take is diameter 81mm and 235mm long.

Alternatively anyone got a link to a suitable replacement fitting?

Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[bernardgreen]

One directory lists

Parmar Distribution
Town End Road
Draycott
DE72 3PT
United Kingdom
Tel: 01332 875585
Fax: 01332 875584

as distributors of lighting products.

 

[flameport]

This one is 234mm length, which is 1mm shorter than the space you have, so should fit (but with no space).
However both ends have a mounting bracket which could be cut down to make the length 220mm or less, so that should fit easily.

Other dimensions 40x28, so no problem to fit inside an 81mm diameter tube.

Link to full specifications on the same page.

 

[skenk]

Well found, cheers. Have ordered one and will try it and see

 

[333rocky333]

Are you sure the old one is faulty, them fittings only usually work with fat 65 watt tubes, you look like you have a 58watt tube fitted.

I may be wrong but you may compromise the safety rating by fitting a H/F ballast.
Them fittings are about 200 pound each

Bernlite on 01923 200160 may be able to help.

 

[RF Lighting]

I was just going to say the same thing as rocky

 

[skenk]

Thats probably it It has a 58w T12. They have a stock of them and said that was what came out of it, but I should have checked with the other one. doh!

Bernard, they are now obsolete and there is no equivalent replacement according to Parmar

 

[333rocky333]

Thats probably it It has a 58w T12.

No such thing,

It is either
58watt T8 which is one inch diameter, or 8 eights of an inch
or
65watt T12 which is one inch and half diameter, or 12 eights of an inch, which i would try.

 

[skenk]

Turned out it was a 65w T12 after all, guess I should have made more notes when I was there the first time. Changed the ballast for the electronic one flameport linked to (thanks again) and the tube to a T8 58w and all's well.

Given the state of the rest of the place, the very good seals on the fitting and the fact that they needed it fixed because of a health and safety inspection, I'm not too worried about compromising the safety rating.

Thanks all for your help

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Spark123]

Given the state of the rest of the place, the very good seals on the fitting and the fact that they needed it fixed because of a health and safety inspection, I'm not too worried about compromising the safety rating.

That smells of a complete disregard to health and safety, just getting it fixed because of an inspection.

 

[skenk]

Well to be fair, they were complaining about not being able to see as well and they had attempted to fix it themselves. It wasn't actually on their (big) list from the H&S exec but they thought it would be prudent to get it sorted before they came back. The building is more than 100yrs old and a lot of the equipment is fit for a museum. There are only 2 staff who actually work on the shop floor (and the boss sometimes, apparently), less than 10 staff total, I don't think they have a disregard for H&S, just that the building doesn't lend itself well to current regs. No way would you be allowed to have what they have now if it was a new building.

Holmslaw, how dare you suggest I damaged the seal! It's the same seal used when taking the lamp out, not a permanent seal so I wouldn't worry about that. Seeing as you're so knowledgeable maybe you can explain how swapping a starterless ballast for an 'electronic' one compromises the safety rating?

Without reading the terms of my insurance I may not be insured for this (although one would think that contractors all risks insurance would cover lighting maintenance) but i'm still not worried because I think the chances of my work causing an explosion are zero. Even if, by some unimaginable means, gases in a high enough concentration were able to enter the enclosure and were somehow ignited by the ballast, any combustion would be confined to the enclosure and any oxygen would be reacted such that no more combustion could take place.

I hope they get it inspected too so I can report back and shut you up!