Workhorse 7 & T5's
- Thread starter spreston
- Start date
Mike31154
New member
I'm sort of in the same boat, although with two Workhorse 8 ballasts I've salvaged from a used fixture driving two 24" T12 VHO lamps. I can't find much re WH8's on their site so I downloaded all of their pdf wiring diagrams and browsed thru them to see what might work for me.
I'd like to power either two 39 or two 54 watt T5s, one with each ballast which should be no problem since the label on the WH8 ballast says it can handle up to 220 watts of any combination of a number of different lamp types including T5s. Each WH8 has two banks of 3 red wires. How many red wires are on your WH7?
The used fixture has 4 red wires from each WH8 spliced together to power each T12 VHO. Two remaining red wires on each ballast are capped. So in theory, if each ballast had 8 red wires and sufficient wattage rating, one could be used to fire both VHOs. Not sure what the wattage of the T12 VHO is, but undoubtedly much more than a 39 or 54 watt HO T5. This being said, powering one T5 (39 or 54watt) with a single WH8 is probably overkill and I'll be capping most of the red wires. For your situation, I assume the WH7 has sufficient wattage to handle two 39 watt T5s (check the label to confirm if you haven't already). So it just comes down to how many red wires the ballast has and how many you need to splice and/or cap to fire both lamps.
If your WH7 has at least 6 red wires, check their diagram '2 lamp 24' which has two sets of 3 wires each spliced together to power one lamp each. If the WH7 has fewer red wires, check those diagrams that have the appropriate number of red wires for your application.
If you care to experiment, try hooking up your T5s as per the most appropriate 2 lamp Workhorse diagram using one red wire for each lamp. If the lamps don't fire up, splice together two red wires to supply each lamp, then three (if the WH7 has that many) until the lamps fire and stay lit. Make sure to cap any excess red wires.
Have you tried sending Workhorse an email??
I'd like to power either two 39 or two 54 watt T5s, one with each ballast which should be no problem since the label on the WH8 ballast says it can handle up to 220 watts of any combination of a number of different lamp types including T5s. Each WH8 has two banks of 3 red wires. How many red wires are on your WH7?
The used fixture has 4 red wires from each WH8 spliced together to power each T12 VHO. Two remaining red wires on each ballast are capped. So in theory, if each ballast had 8 red wires and sufficient wattage rating, one could be used to fire both VHOs. Not sure what the wattage of the T12 VHO is, but undoubtedly much more than a 39 or 54 watt HO T5. This being said, powering one T5 (39 or 54watt) with a single WH8 is probably overkill and I'll be capping most of the red wires. For your situation, I assume the WH7 has sufficient wattage to handle two 39 watt T5s (check the label to confirm if you haven't already). So it just comes down to how many red wires the ballast has and how many you need to splice and/or cap to fire both lamps.
If your WH7 has at least 6 red wires, check their diagram '2 lamp 24' which has two sets of 3 wires each spliced together to power one lamp each. If the WH7 has fewer red wires, check those diagrams that have the appropriate number of red wires for your application.
If you care to experiment, try hooking up your T5s as per the most appropriate 2 lamp Workhorse diagram using one red wire for each lamp. If the lamps don't fire up, splice together two red wires to supply each lamp, then three (if the WH7 has that many) until the lamps fire and stay lit. Make sure to cap any excess red wires.
Have you tried sending Workhorse an email??
silverwolf72
New member
I would suggest buying a ballast designed for T5 bulbs that has EOL protection that the WH does not have. Their fairly cheap
Mike31154
New member
Just found an old 'txt' file that I created from info I downloaded, presumably from the Fulham website. I knew I did some research on these ballasts soon after I aquired the used lighting fixture I have.
QUOTE
Workhorse 8, Long Case, 120 volt Solid-State Electronic, Case Size, Height - 1.0", width - 1.72", Length - 19.25", Max. Power 220 watt, Max. Current 1.8 Amp. Instant start, Operating Temperature -20° F (-30º C) to 158º F (70º C) Low Cost Freezer Ballast Replacement. Sound Rated A. Do not use for remote mounting.
Workhorse 8 will operate following T5 Lamps
F24T5 HO - 4, 5, or 6 lamps
F39T5 HO - 3 lamps
F54T5 HO - 1, 2, or 3 lamps
F80T5 HO - 1 lamp
Workhorse 7, Long Case, 120 volt Solid-State Electronic, Case Size, Height - 1.0", width - 1.72", Length - 18.5", Max. Power 220 watt, Max. Current 1.82 Amp. Instant start, Operating Temperature -20° F (-30º C) to 158º F (70º C) Low Cost Freezer Ballast Replacement. Sound Rated. A Do not use for remote mounting.
Workhorse 7 will operate following T5 lamps
F39T5 HO - 4 Lamps
F54T5 HO - 3 or 4 Lamps
F80T5 HO - 2 Lamps
UNQUOTE
Soooo, according to this, you can safely run 4 of your 39watt T5 HO lamps. I believe the Workhorse 7 has four red wires and according to the specs above can handle 220 watts. Some simple math, 220 watts divided by 4 (red wires)= each red wire supplies up to 55 watts. So 1 red wire to each 39 watt T5 HO should do the trick and the ballast should run quite cool. You're actually slightly overdriving the 39 watt T5s this way. Cap the rest or run two lights in your freezer, he he.
silverwolf72, please explain EOL protection, I'm acronym challenged at times. Thanx.
QUOTE
Workhorse 8, Long Case, 120 volt Solid-State Electronic, Case Size, Height - 1.0", width - 1.72", Length - 19.25", Max. Power 220 watt, Max. Current 1.8 Amp. Instant start, Operating Temperature -20° F (-30º C) to 158º F (70º C) Low Cost Freezer Ballast Replacement. Sound Rated A. Do not use for remote mounting.
Workhorse 8 will operate following T5 Lamps
F24T5 HO - 4, 5, or 6 lamps
F39T5 HO - 3 lamps
F54T5 HO - 1, 2, or 3 lamps
F80T5 HO - 1 lamp
Workhorse 7, Long Case, 120 volt Solid-State Electronic, Case Size, Height - 1.0", width - 1.72", Length - 18.5", Max. Power 220 watt, Max. Current 1.82 Amp. Instant start, Operating Temperature -20° F (-30º C) to 158º F (70º C) Low Cost Freezer Ballast Replacement. Sound Rated. A Do not use for remote mounting.
Workhorse 7 will operate following T5 lamps
F39T5 HO - 4 Lamps
F54T5 HO - 3 or 4 Lamps
F80T5 HO - 2 Lamps
UNQUOTE
Soooo, according to this, you can safely run 4 of your 39watt T5 HO lamps. I believe the Workhorse 7 has four red wires and according to the specs above can handle 220 watts. Some simple math, 220 watts divided by 4 (red wires)= each red wire supplies up to 55 watts. So 1 red wire to each 39 watt T5 HO should do the trick and the ballast should run quite cool. You're actually slightly overdriving the 39 watt T5s this way. Cap the rest or run two lights in your freezer, he he.
silverwolf72, please explain EOL protection, I'm acronym challenged at times. Thanx.
buck50bmg
In Memoriam
Look here
I have 2 36" t5 on each of my workhorse 7's overdriven. Works just fine
http://www.fulham.com/Detail_Ballasts.php?ID=WH7-120-L
I have 2 36" t5 on each of my workhorse 7's overdriven. Works just fine
http://www.fulham.com/Detail_Ballasts.php?ID=WH7-120-L
moondoggy4
Team RC
Try the Tek website they have a good diagram
silverwolf72
New member
EOL ( end of life) means if the bulb burns out the ballast stops delivering power to that bulb, without it continues to deliver power to the bulb thus it is just more likely to cause a fire. I read plenty of people that run the WH whit out any problems but just something to think about.
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