beginningbotanist420
Well-Known Member
So after coming across a thread on ICMag [http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=104860] about remote ballast CFL's, i decided to do a little research on the subject.
The key reasons/benefits of remote ballasting your CFL's would be the same as those for remote ballasting HID's: reduced heat, safety, and higher efficiency. Yes, remote CFL's do work more efficiently than their self-ballasted counterparts. A 32w remote-ballast CFL and a 42w self-ballast CFL both emit roughly 2,700 lumens. That's an energy savings of almost 25%, with the remote-ballast CFL emits almost 20 more lumens per watt! Not to mention the energy you'll save in fans trying to cool your cab. Also, remote ballast CFL's come in more efficient shapes for box-type uses.
This 36w CFL doesn't lose any light in the spirals (between the glass tubes and the center of the spiral) and can also be cooled more efficiently.
And wiring them is not very hard to understand, even for noobs like myself who have no electrical background what-so-ever.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=112670
Here's an example of how to connect 55w bulbs to a Fulham Workhorse 8 ballast (link given below). This is the most common use of remote-ballast bulbs from what i can tell, but the possibilities are endless.
I know you can get Fulham Workhorse Ballasts [http://www.1000bulbs.com/Fulham-Ballast-Workhorse-8/<--This is a 220w ballast, designed to run 4 55w bulbs.] for the job, but can you use regular T8 shoplight ballasts from home improvement stores? Since remote-ballast bulbs are very commonly found in home improvement stores in the security lighting section, but without the ballast, could i use these ballasts?:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&N=4294961544&Ne=4294967294&Ntk=i_products&Ntt=ballast
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=ballast&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
I'm no electrician or lighting specialist, so if you are one, please help me out. I may be wrong, so don't take any of this as fact or truth.
The key reasons/benefits of remote ballasting your CFL's would be the same as those for remote ballasting HID's: reduced heat, safety, and higher efficiency. Yes, remote CFL's do work more efficiently than their self-ballasted counterparts. A 32w remote-ballast CFL and a 42w self-ballast CFL both emit roughly 2,700 lumens. That's an energy savings of almost 25%, with the remote-ballast CFL emits almost 20 more lumens per watt! Not to mention the energy you'll save in fans trying to cool your cab. Also, remote ballast CFL's come in more efficient shapes for box-type uses.
This 36w CFL doesn't lose any light in the spirals (between the glass tubes and the center of the spiral) and can also be cooled more efficiently.
And wiring them is not very hard to understand, even for noobs like myself who have no electrical background what-so-ever.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=112670
Here's an example of how to connect 55w bulbs to a Fulham Workhorse 8 ballast (link given below). This is the most common use of remote-ballast bulbs from what i can tell, but the possibilities are endless.
I know you can get Fulham Workhorse Ballasts [http://www.1000bulbs.com/Fulham-Ballast-Workhorse-8/<--This is a 220w ballast, designed to run 4 55w bulbs.] for the job, but can you use regular T8 shoplight ballasts from home improvement stores? Since remote-ballast bulbs are very commonly found in home improvement stores in the security lighting section, but without the ballast, could i use these ballasts?:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&N=4294961544&Ne=4294967294&Ntk=i_products&Ntt=ballast
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=ballast&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
I'm no electrician or lighting specialist, so if you are one, please help me out. I may be wrong, so don't take any of this as fact or truth.