"John Keiser" wrote in message
news:Re2dnaCB4fpkQsLUnZ2dnUVZ_sbinZ2d@hawaiiantel. net...
Actually, I though "sufficient" was the right word. I assumed that a
ballast could be damaged if it was incapable of supplying sufficient
current. If the ballast can supply more current, what is the harm?

[I glean that maximizing bulb life is an issue for precisely matrching
ballasts in commercial applications but a minor concern in my house.]

--
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Well, it might not be such a minor issue if you actually do it. Over-volting
a 12v halogen by as little as 10% can significantly shorten its life, and
when you start having difficulty getting them in a couple of years after the
eco-bollox merchants have had the manufacture of them banned totally
world-wide ...

If the ballast is rated to supply more current than is actually required,
there is no harm going to come to the ballast itself. However, if there is
no regulation of the output voltage other than by load and the ballast's
output impedance, then you could significantly shorten the bulbs' service
life, by having insufficient load.

Arfa