One other question while on the topic of replacing ballasts and fluorescent
lights....
I am remodelling an empty unit to make a bookstore and they currently have
about fifteen to twenty 8 foot double tube lights throughout the store. (The
store is about 2500 square feet.)
I am considering replacing them all with about 50% more 4 foot units. (So
about 22 - 30 units.)
I am considering doing this mostly due to the high price of 8' tubes and
ballasts. (In this part of Canada the 4' tubes go for about $1.40, while the
8' go for about $6-$7). Also the ballasts for the 8' bulbs costs about $30,
whereas I can get a whole 4' unit for about that price. ($20 for a cheaper
one that will probably break down in a few years, $30 - $35 for one that
will hopefully last.)
So there are actually two questions:
1) Will I retain a similar amount of light from replacing those units? (I
know that their will be a small drop in light, but I just wanted to know how
noticeable it would be? Or should I just double the number of 8' units and
achieve near the same amount of light?)
2) Is it going to be cost effective over 10 -15 years to replace all these
units? (Or am I wasting a lot of money trying to avoid spending $6 - $7 on
the 8' tubes and $30 on a few new ballasts to replace the 3 or 4 that are
burnt out?)
Thanks for reading this long post, and for any answers or suggestions.
Sean.



"Sean" wrote in message
...
Hello, I am having some trouble rewiring a ballast. It's an older one that
my wife has above her fish tank. The On/Off switch is flaky (it works
about 30% of the time) so she wants to set it up on a timer to go on and
off for her fish.
I am trying to bypass the on/off switch, but I am having some trouble as
it is an older ballast.
Here's the scoop.
It is a 4 foot single lamp ballast.
There is the standard black and white wires, plus a blue wire. (I am used
to seeing 6 wires in a 2 lamp system.)
The black goes to the Power. The white goes to the right hand side of the
lamp. The blue goes to the left hand side. Coming from the left side of
the lamp is another black that connect to the top left of the on/off
switch. The top right of the switch goes to the right side of the lamp.
The bottom right of the switch goes to the other connector on the right
side of the lamp. The bottom left of the switch goes back to Power.
I am sorry if this is a little complicated, but that's the best I can do
in writing.
I figured that I should connect the black from the left side of the lamp
to one of the wires on the right side of the lamp, and connect the other
wire from the right side back to power. That doesn't work. (I get a very
low glow from half the bulb, but it doesn't go on.)
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Here are the specs on the ballast in case they are needed:
120V 60hz .55 amp
Keystone Transformer Co.
Cat no. M4OP
40 W Ballast.

Thanks a lot!
Sean.