EcoRenovator - View Single Post - re-use 'burnt out' T12 bulbs

mejunkhound · 02-08-14, 08:55 PM

Scored a score of 3 lamp electronic ballasts on ebay a few months back, for 3ea 32W T8 bulbs. About $4 ea ballast.

Have noticed that the 'burnt out' 40W T12 fluorescent tubes waiting to go to recycle will work just fine with electronic ballasts (assume that just the preheat filament gone which is why they would not start with the old mag ballasts) so as I get to it I replace the shop and shed mag ballasts with the electronic ones and put in the old tubes - 100 % success rate so far. 3*32=86W, 2*40 = 80W, so have seen no overheating of any of the electronic ballasts.

Thought maybe some of you other cheap folks would like to know, no need to recycle 'perfectly good' T-12 bulbs.

02-08-14, 08:55 PM	#1
mejunkhound Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 197 Thanks: 0 Thanked 47 Times in 31 Posts	re-use 'burnt out' T12 bulbs Scored a score of 3 lamp electronic ballasts on ebay a few months back, for 3ea 32W T8 bulbs. About $4 ea ballast. Have noticed that the 'burnt out' 40W T12 fluorescent tubes waiting to go to recycle will work just fine with electronic ballasts (assume that just the preheat filament gone which is why they would not start with the old mag ballasts) so as I get to it I replace the shop and shed mag ballasts with the electronic ones and put in the old tubes - 100 % success rate so far. 332=86W, 240 = 80W, so have seen no overheating of any of the electronic ballasts. Thought maybe some of you other cheap folks would like to know, no need to recycle 'perfectly good' T-12 bulbs.