pl lighting

[kennedy_ng]

anyone know whether a 36watt pl e-ballast can power a 18 or 27 watt pl light

[zmzfam]

it should not be a problem, perhaps an overkill

[kennedy_ng]

will the bulb spoilt

[tawauboy]

no.
the tube will take only the power it requires, never more.

[juggler]

side-track a bit...
A 36W magnetic ballast can support 2 x 18W tubes connected in series.
For e-Ballast, I am not sure if can do the same but Mr Chan from NA told me "not advisable".

[ek]

I once connected a e-ballast rated as 30-40 W to a 18W FL. Guess what happen. The e-ballast was damaged after using for less than a day. The FL was still usable. I think the FL probably has overloaded the e-ballast. Luckily the boss allow me for a one to one exchange as i bought quite a few from him.

So I suggest better not try.

[sherchoo]

ek,
The cause of the ballast damaged shouldn't be due to the overloading. I would say it's juz an occasional product defect. I've used 36W eballast for 30W tubes without any problem.

[ek]

doubt so, the eballast has been used to drive a 36W PL b4 i change to a 18W FL and it is sealed with a "QA" sticker. So i don't really suspect defect problem.

Besides, yours is only a difference of 6W but my case is 50% difference. []

Anyway it is always safer to stick to the electrical spec margin.

[atteh]

hi all,


can someone tell me the diff between eballast n ballast??

[tawauboy]

ek,

any product with a 'QA' sticker doesn't mean it is 100% defect free.
if you have been to any manufacturing line, you'll will see 'QA' on everything. but at the end of the day when the product get to us, consumers, there are still defects. it is just a system to minimise defect.

and a higher wattage ballast does not damage a lower wattage tube.

[tawauboy]

----------------
can someone tell me the diff between eballast n ballast??
----------------

a normal ballast is made using an iron core while an eballast makes use of electronics to perform the function of a ballast.
the easiest way to differentiate between an eballast and an iron core ballast is the weight. iron core ballast weight more.

[ek]

----------------
On 5/25/2003 10:20:10 PM

ek,

any product with a 'QA' sticker doesn't mean it is 100% defect free.
if you have been to any manufacturing line, you'll will see 'QA' on everything. but at the end of the day when the product get to us, consumers, there are still defects. it is just a system to minimise defect.

and a higher wattage ballast does not damage a lower wattage tube.
----------------

of course i'm aware of that (QA issue). Actually i was expecting the FL to blow instead of the e-ballast. probably a fuse inside ballast has blow first. just a guess.

[atteh]

hi all,


Can a 36w ballast take a 40w PL?? Because my ballast blew and the LFS say they will change it with the 36w ballast??

[tawauboy]

not advisable.
the ballast does not have sufficient power to drive the tube.
may still light up but will not operate properly.
worst case, the pl will not light up at all.