What is a ballast factor and how does it affect fluorescent tubes? (2024)

FAQs

Is ballast factor and power factor the same thing? ›

Ballast Power Factor measures how "efficiently" a ballast uses its power. Expressed as a percentage, 0% to 100%, power factor is the ratio of power used by a ballast compared to the total power supplied by the utility: Power Factor = Watts/Volt-Amperes.

It is the calculation of the lumen output of a luminaire in combination with a ballast against the reference ballast and luminaire when designed and manufactured. There are typically three ballast factors; low (. 78), normal (. 88) and high (1.2).

Simply turn the light on, then take a photo of the fixture using your smartphone or digital camera. If there are no dark bands on the resulting image, you have an electronic ballast that is likely to work with direct drop-in LED tubes (with caveats: see the next section below).

The main difference between T8 and T12 tubes is the tube's diameter. T12 tubes are 1.5" in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won't fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they'll fit just fine.

It needs to fit the electrical requirements of the lamp that it will run. When purchasing a ballast, you'll need to read the type of lamps it's designed for, how many lamps it operates, and the voltage the lamps will run on. Choosing the right ballast for a lamp will optimize the light output and life of the bulb.

The easiest and lowest price option to replace a T12 is a T8 linear fluorescent. They have become the go-to option for pre-existing T12s. If you still have magnetic ballasts, switching to a T8 will require a ballast swap.

Ballast ratio

The higher the figure, the 'stiffer' (more stable) the yacht is reckoned to be. A ballast ratio of 50% is about the upper limit of a very stiff boat, 35% is average and 25% is regarded as tender (less stable) and assumed to be unsuitable for ocean voyaging.

Unlike incandescent lights, LED and other types of efficient lighting have internal ballasts. It improves the lamp's efficiency, which is measured by the ballast factor.

Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.

You have fluorescent troffers or strip fixtures already, and you're wondering if you can just pop LED tubes in them or if you'll need to change out the fixtures for something designed for LED. Good news: You can absolutely use LED tubes in your existing fixtures!

What happens if you put LED bulbs in a fluorescent fixture? ›

Many LED tubes are "plug and play", meaning you can just install them like you would a fluorescent bulb. For this to be true, look for bulbs that are "ballast-compatible" meaning that they can use the ballast already installed in your fluorescent fixture to power the LEDs.

Check the Ballast with a Multimeter

Insert one probe into the wire connector while holding the white wires together. Touch the other probe to the ends of yellow, red, and blue wires coming from the ballast. Some might exclude the yellow. If the ballast doesn't cause the needle to move, you know it needs to be replaced.

As far as safety is concerned, you can exchange them. If you place T12 tubes in a fixture with a T8 ballast, you will wear out the ballast and have to replace it. If you place T8 tubes in a fixture with a T12 ballast, then the tubes will have a shorter life due to a higher current through the tube.

A dead fluorescent can be caused by lack of electrical power (tripped breaker or blown fuse), a dead or dying ballast, a dead starter or a dead bulb(s). Check for power first... then the starter (if applicable) and then the bulbs. When all else fails, the ballast should be replaced.

T12 fluorescent lights are not simply old-fashioned or retro, they are a completely discontinued lighting product. Back in 2012, the U.S. stopped importing and manufacturing T12 lamps.

Can you actually retrofit T12 to LED without changing out the ballast? Actually, yes. But before you make a decision, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s. A lot has changed in just a few years in the lighting industry.

The Standard T12 lamp produces 2,650 initial lumens per lamp. The standard T8 produces 2,800 initial lumens per lamp, 6% brighter.

The good news is that a typical ballast will generally last about 20 years, so you won't have to worry about replacing them very often. However, cold environments and bad bulbs can factor into the mix, causing the lifespan of the ballast to decrease significantly.

Without a properly operating ballast to limit the light's current, a fluorescent lamp connected to the electrical source would quickly and uncontrollably increase its current flow—causing the lamp to burning out. This is why a degrading ballast will cause the fluorescent lights to flicker.

Are T12 ballasts still available? ›

Fluorescent T12 lamps and ballasts were phased out and are no longer legal to be produced or imported. This mandate was passed due to federal energy efficiency regulations.

T5 & T8 fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes are to be phased out. In 2023, T5 and T8 fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes (CFL) will be phased out in accordance with the European Commission's ecodesign and RoHS directives.

Mixing 1 part cement to 6 parts ballast creates concrete suitable for driveways, paths and patios, and increasing the ratio to 1:8 gives foundation-strength concrete. It is of course possible to add other materials to increase the strength of the concrete – these often include steel reinforcing bars (“rebar”).

The ballast/displacement ratio is simply the ballast weight divided by the boat's total displacement.

(a) It should be tough and wear resistant. (b) It should be hard so that it does not get crushed under the moving loads. (c) It should be generally cubical with sharp edges. (d) It should be non-porous and should not absorb water. (e) It should resist both attrition and abrasion.

There are various methods for converting fluorescent lighting fixtures into LED ones. However, the simplest way is to use some sort of retrofit kit. These kits attach to already existing lighting fixtures and allow for LED bulbs to be housed in them.

Electrical compatibility is a bit trickier, because T12 fixtures will almost always contain a T12 ballast, which is not compatible with T8 lamps. Direct-wire compatible T8 LED tube lights can be used in a T12 fixture, as long as the T12 ballast is either bypassed, or completely removed.

Since plug and play LEDs are compatible with ballasts, you can simply remove a fluorescent bulb and replace it with an LED. Since no additional modification or wiring is required, it's as easy as replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs in your home.

Retailers like Lowe's and Home Depot are the biggest CFL recycling market. They usually allow customers to drop their used or old CFLs at the store for free. The reason being consumers at these retailers buy more CFLs than fluorescent tubes.

Replacing fluorescent tubes with LED lights is low-cost, energy-efficient lighting for you. The LED lights will give you better quality lighting and a much longer lifespan. Increased lifespan is one of the reasons LED lights have quickly become a popular alternative for fluorescent and incandescent lights.

Which is better single ended or double ended LED tubes? ›

Compared to single-ended LED lamps, Double-ended LED lamps are more efficient as fluorescent replacement applications because they are also double-ended. In addition to that, both lamps also utilize shunted lamp holders, which is necessary for no voltage to be created between the pins.

Sand (river sand) : With a low cohesion and water retention, and good strength sand is very good as a ballast substitute.

Without a ballast, a lamp or a bulb will rapidly increase its current draw and it can become uncontrollable as well. When a ballast is present in a lamp, the power becomes stable, and even if such lamps are connected to high power sources, the ballast will regulate the energy and avoid the current rise.

The difference between warm white and cool white

Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin (K) – the lower the number, the warmer the white light appears, while a higher Kelvin will appear cooler. Colour temperature generally ranges from 2700-3300K (warm) to 3300-5300 (cool) – and 6500K is daylight.

Enclosed fixtures that don't allow for proper ventilation can drastically affect the temperature of the LED bulb, causing it to overheat and shortening the lifespan of the bulb. That's why some bulbs will tell you not to use it in an enclosed ceiling fan or fully enclosed porch light fixture.

T5 fluorescent tube works only with electronic ballasts. T8 fluorescent tube can work with both mechanical and electronic ballasts. T5 fluorescent tube is 40 percent thinner than T8. Since T5 fluorescent tube is thinner, the luminaires designed for T5 fluorescent tubes are smaller than T8 luminaires.

LED tube lights are increasingly used to replace fluorescent lights. Compared to fluorescents, LED lighting lasts longer, is more energy efficient and uses no mercury.

Turn off the switch to your fluorescent bulb, expose the ballast in its housing, and set your multimeter to the highest resistance setting. Place the black probe on the white ground wire and the red probe on each of the other wires. A good ballast is expected to read “OL” or max resistance.

A ballast factor is a number, typically between 0.70 and 1.2, that tells you how much light a lamp will emit with that ballast. So how do you get that number? Ballast factor is calculated by dividing the lumen output of a lamp-ballast combination by the lumen output of the same lamp(s) on a reference ballast.

What are the two types of power factor? ›

Types of Power

Real Power – It is the average of the instantaneous product of voltage and current. Real power is the actual power supplied to the electrical ciruit for performing work. Apparent Power – The product of rms current and voltage is called as apparent power.

Power factor (PF) is the ratio of working power, measured in kilowatts (kW), to apparent power, measured in kilovolt amperes (kVA). Apparent power, also known as demand, is the measure of the amount of power used to run machinery and equipment during a certain period. It is found by multiplying (kVA = V x A).

These three types of power—true, reactive, and apparent—relate to one another in trigonometric form.