SUPERIOR LAMP INC. PRODUCT TIP
BEWARE RESIDENTIAL OR SHOPLIGHT GRADE BALLASTS
When you are selling your customer your Superor Lamp fluorescent tubes, keep in mind that there are different quality ballasts out there for operating fluorescents. Grades of ballasts range from: our HEAVY DUTY™ 50-year ballasts (BEST), to standard short-life industrial/commercial-grade ballasts (OK), and residential- and shoplight-grade (POOR).
Shoplight and residential ballasts are really only designed to be operated for short periods of time, and inherently have a short life. While our fluorescent tubes will probably light on the shoplight or residential ballasts, these ballasts are severely underpowered and will operate at higher temperatures to drive a full-wattage, commercial-grade tube (40W or 34W). Operating full-wattage lamps off these poor ballasts will also result in reduced light output when compared to the same lamps driven off of industrial-grade ballasts. These days you will see these poor quality fixtures equipped with “shop-grade” or “utility” 4’ T12 lamps, which actually only draw 25 watts on these ballasts.
When you equip these cheap fixtures with 34W or 40W tubes, the ballast has to overwork to drive the lamps, resulting in much higher ballast temperatures. These higher temperatures break down the ballast windings and cause voltage and current supply problems to the lamps. The build-up of heat is also potentially dangerous and could possibly start a fire. Continuous operation of these fixtures (like in an office setting where the fixtures are left on all day) will prematurely burn out full wattage lamps.
Good indicators of failing or poor quality ballasts are if commercial-grade lamps are spiraling, flickering, starting poorly, low light output, end-darkening on one end, or burning out prematurely. Other indicators are if the ballast/fixture is making an excessive hum or vibration, or if it is unbearably hot to the touch. In any of these cases, the ballast is suspect and should probably be replaced.
When you run into these situations, explain to your customer what is happening. Emphasize with them that this is why you only sell Superior Lamp Premium Products like our HEAVY DUTY™ fluorescents and HEAVY DUTY™ electronic ballasts!
Superiorlamp.com
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1 comment:
Hi, Great post,thanks for sharing such a wonderful blog.
everybody needs to start led bulbs and start using these new bulbs. we need to go green.
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