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ellieandethansmom

can I use these ballasts to overdrive?

ellieandethansmom
19 years ago

I found a free large 4 bulb florescent fixture with two Advance Transformer company 120 volt transformers (mark III energy saver r-2s40-1-tp rapid start ballast). They are pretty heavy. Can I use these to overdrive my (two) home depot two bulb fixtures? If so, how and where do I mount these suckers? Thanks!! Dana

Comments (5)

  • zink
    19 years ago

    Dana,

    Those are magnetic ballasts and CANNOT be used to overdrive lamps. They should be great ballasts for normal useage. They have a very good ballast factor - .95

    I have several of these ballasts myself. They are installing electronic ballasts in a building across the street from where I work, and the contractor threw hundreds of Advance R-2S40-TP Mark-III ballasts into the dumpster.

    Dumpster diving is a profitable sport, if not too competetive.

    Zink

  • ellieandethansmom
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Zink- Thanks for the response, I am honored (you're like superman on this forum). Stupidly I already cut the wires from the connectors, how easy or hard is it to re attach them? No big if it is really difficult. It is much easier to get over when things are free! Thanks again. Dana

  • zink
    19 years ago

    Aw, shucks... you're too kind. If I was that super, I wouldn't have had to take a vacation from this forum for a few weeks.

    I, too, get overly optimistic and jump the gun on projects. I have spent good money on items before I ever knew if they would work. It comes with the 'do-it-yourself' attitude.

    It's good to see you're trying this stuff out.

    Zink

  • DavidR
    19 years ago

    To reconnect the wires, buy a package of small wirenuts at the hardware store. Tell the counterperson what you're trying to do. For reference, the wires are probably #18 or even #20. I think you'll want orange wirenuts. Make sure they have metal springs inside them; avoid the all-plastic ones.

    Then follow the directions on the wirenut package.

    If you have 4-lamp fixtures, why not just hang those over the plants? Overdriving a 2-lamp fixture will get you (according to this forum) maybe 70% more light, but a four lamp fixture will give you 100% more light - with no rewiring.

  • korney19
    19 years ago

    Sorry, I didn't want to start a whole thread for each mfr or model # so hope Dana don't mind me adding a request here.

    How about these ballasts:

    General Electric GE-232-MAX-N-IP
    General Electric GE-432-MAX-N-IP (MODEL 23942? 4 BULB)

    Thanks.

    Mark

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