T5 Ho Lighting: Is It Okay To Use Lower Wattage Bulbs?

[jarthel]

e.g. the lighting is designed to normally take 54W tubes. Can I use 36W tubes?

thank you

 

[waterdrop]

My limited understanding is that tubes should be matched to the the device in the fluorescent fixture that accomplishes the current limiting function. These are variously called "electrical ballasts" or "control gear" or "chokes" or "inductance circuits" or various other things. They can be as complex as a big electronic circuit or as simple as a resistor but they are usually designed to match a lamp of particular characteristics.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Truck]

waterdrop is spot on.

If you out a lower wattage tube in a higher wattage fitting it will #29### the tubes.

 

[jarthel]

thanks everyone

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, I never realized that the whole reason you need an inductance circuit on fluorescent tubes is that if it was not there, say you just gave them a straight voltage supply, they would just keep drawing more and more voltage until they fried themselves!

~~waterdrop~~