Ballast Question

[DMBillies]

I bought some 24" retrofit T5's a while ago that I am thinking about adapting to 36" T5's. I know I'll need new reflectors, but if the ballasts will work for the longer fixture that would be much cheaper than buying new.

After trying to investigate whether or not the ballast will work, I realized that (from an electrical standpoint) I don't know a whole lot about how they actually work... the shame I must be bringing my father... an electrician.

I also think that the retrofit kits might have included the wrong ballast to begin with (or at least a ballast that could handle much longer bulbs than they were included with). A link to the ballast is below. One of those ballasts (Advance ICN-2S54-90C) was included for each 2 x 24W bulb. It looks like the ballast was intended for up to two 54W (48") T5's. I was thinking that it was not kosher to run smaller bulbs on a "bigger" ballast??? If I'm wrong about that (and I hope I am) those ballasts should work fine for 2 x 36" (39W) T5's, right?

Am I on the right track?

http://www.advancetransformer.com/uploads/resources/EL-2180-R01.pdf

 

[sandalscout]

Brian, Don't feel too bad, my father is an aircraft electrician, and I too fail at electrical stuff.

The 2nd page of the pdf shows the list of bulbs that it'll support, and it does list 2x39w 36" bulbs. Oddly, it does NOT list the 24" bulbs, but it does list 12".

I have been looking @ Workhorse Ballasts, and even though they are marketed toward a specific length and wattage, they will actually support a range of bulbs. Specifically, the Workhorse 5 is marketed toward 2x54w 48" T5s, but will run a combination of smaller bulbs, per http://www.naturallighting.com/web/shop.php?crn=753&rn=2941&action=show_detail

Hope that helps, but I think you are fine.

 

[crumbletop]

Yes, that should be fine, Brian.

 

[DMBillies]

I'm not saying it can't fire them, but I think the 36" bulbs you are referring to are PC's (according to the bulb code they list).

http://www.brite-lite.com/Products/fluorescentplbases.pdf

I just want to be sure I'm not going to do something that could be potentially dangerous.

 

[sandalscout]

Brian, I thought about that after I posted, I didn't recall seeing the HO initially, it just didn't click.


That being the case, I still am almost certain that ballast is designed for 4x24w 24" bulbs, 3x39w 36" bulbs, and 2x54w 48" bulbs. And that's on the maximum side. I honestly don't see would it wouldn't work, hopefully someone will be able to provide 100% answers though.

 

[crumbletop]

It should be fine, Brian. You could always contact the manufacturer to be 100% sure, but there would be no difference really between the 24" bulbs you are running and switching to 36" with those ballasts.