On 2011-12-29, Ecnerwal wrote:
In article ,
Ignoramus4193 wrote:

Second, I am convinced that the world knows how to make reliable
electronic ballasts. It is just that the manufacturers choose to make
crap, for the usual reasons. That said, are there T8 ballasts that are
"honestly made" and reliable?

IMHO, ballasts are a place where you both have to shop carefully, and
where a brand like GE may mean you are getting better quality-control on
the chinese crap (unless you happen to get non-chinese after all.)

Galesburg electric is one of the better online sources I've found so far
- they don't carry (or at least list) all the variants, but they have
some at very attractive prices relative to some other sources. If you
get a wholesaler that will deal with you you might do better.

For your application, if 4' lamps, the $13.72 2-lamp or $17.25 4-lamp
GE ultra max. Both 120-277V input. those are the lower light/lower power
variant of those ballasts, and I don't believe that galesbug carries the
higher light/power variants, but the places I found that did also cost a
lot more.

$25 for 2lamp 8ft - Few bucks cheaper if it's 120V only, but I assume
you probably have 277V lighting circuits with a 3-phase service; Perhaps
not.

The 1970's "look" of your lamps probably comes with more steel and
perhaps even real porcelain baked on (easy to clean, stays whiter)
finish as opposed to the tinfoil-thin steel and crappy white paint of
"new" fixtures. Swap the ballasts, clean and go.


I was also reading about it. Looks like, like you said, I can replace
ballasts and start using T8 bulbs, right? And I can hire a $12/hr guy
to do it? (I am too busy by far)

i