Florescent Light Ballast ?

Please post again with the lamp/bulb dimensions, nominal wattage and markings, along with markings on the old ballast and the new one.

Slight chance that the replacement ballast is of the "trigger start" type (a variation of "rapid start" that is used with "preheat" lamps/bulbs). In this case, be sure you follow the wiring diagram on the ballast (more reputable ones have a wiring diagram on the ballast, and so do some of the junkers). The wiring is different between "trigger start" and "preheat", and it's different beyond just eliminating the starter.

Some "trigger start" ballasts are junkers. You may be better off getting a replacement 2-lead ballast for a preheat system, probably available at many hardware stores and maybe at home centers, and at some electrical and electrical/lighting supply shops.

Please read:

(by Sam G, also available elsewhere) - Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com,

Did you match the bulb to the ballast??? That could be the problem.....

Several times have modified 'old style' (with starters) two X 40 watt lamp fluorescent fixtures, with success. Wiring is colour coded so it was pretty straightforward, although had to extend wiring inside the fixtures because the used (i.e. second hand) modern ballasts available to me had wires that had been cut-off during removal for their replacement by 'electronic ballasts' (whatever they are?). Suggest: make sure the 'new' ballast is the correct type and/or the fluorescent tubes are OK. Is the fixture grounded; that sometimes helps. Terry.

It is easier to get good ballasts for 40 watt than for 20 watt, since 40 watt is so much more in use (mainly in commercial and institutional buildings more than homes). Of course, there are some junky ballasts also for the 4-footers. Some of those junkers are referred to as "residential grade" by some people - what to do is go to one of those electrical supply shops or electrical/lighting supply shops that contractors go to, wait patiently maybe 15 minutes at the counter for your turn and ask for a "commercial grade" ballast for (whatever - probably a 2-lamp F40 rapid start system if you have 4-foot by 1.5 inch diameter bulbs/lamps). If you need a good ballast for 2-foot bulbs, things are not as good and these are the options:

1. Use "preheat" ballasts and starters. The usual 2-lead preheat ballasts for 20 watt 2-footers tend to be made compatible also with 15 watt bulbs/lamps and although they will reliably make F20T12 20 watt

2-footers work, they deliver only about 16, maybe 17 watts to them.

1. Try your luck with "trigger start" ballasts. I see enough of them that appear to be of marginal design, sometimes acting "cranky" with brand new bulbs (lamps) of some brands.
2. Convert to F17T8 (17 watt 2-footer that is 1 inch in diameter) and its ballast, preferably an electronic one. Those tend to work better and more efficiently than all too many clunkers of older technology (for

2-footers). But bulbs (lamps) of F17T8 type are uncommon enough to generally be unavailable at hardware stores and home centers. Electrical and electrical/lighting supply shops often have them, but sometimes have to special-order them and may impose a minimum order of 1 case of them (25 of them!).

Also consider color codes of the 2-foot 17 watt (F17T8) and 4-foot 34 watt (F34T8 or Sylvanioa FO32) bulbs/lamps: These come in a few different "color temperatures" (higher temperature is "cooler color") and 2 color-rendition-grades. The color code for these is typically within the part number and the part number typically looks like this: F(wattageT8)(grade)(colortemp.) or with Sylvania, FO(wattage)(grade)(colortemp.) The lower (but still better than old tech "cool white"/"warm white") grade is referred to as "7" (or Sylvania D7)(for color rendering index in the upper 70's) by brands other than GE and "SP" by GE. The higher grade is referred to as "8" (or Sylvania D8)(for color rendering index in the low-mid 80's) by brands other than GE and "SPX" by GE. As for color temperature: That portion of the color code is normally a

2-digit abbreviation of the typically 4-digit "color temperature in degrees K". 30 is a "warm white" color that somewhat resembles incandescent. 35 is a "whiter warm white" that somewhat resembles whiter shades of halogen light or shorter life hot-running incandescent photoflood and projector lamps. 30 and 35 are generally good for home use. 41 is a white that looks like "cool white" but with better color rendering. 50 is an icy cold pure white that sometimes looks slightly bluish, although it approximates the color of noontime tropical sunlight. 41 and 50 have some ability to look "dreary gray" unless you achieve "office-bright"/"classroom-bright" illumination levels around a thousand or a couple thousand lux.

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)