Convertting fluorescent light from 2 to 1 lamp?

A standard 2-lamp (40 watt?) fluorescent lamp fixture consists 2 lamps and a
ballast.

Is it possible to replace one lamp in such a circuit with a passive component
such that it will run a single lamp?

Thanks,

 

Change the ballast transformer.

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Greetings,

Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
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A standard 2-lamp (40 watt?) fluorescent lamp fixture consists 2 lamps and a
ballast.

Is it possible to replace one lamp in such a circuit with a passive
component
such that it will run a single lamp?

Thanks,

 

Some ballasts can run 2 or 1 lamp safely. Check with the manufacturer,
cause all you might have to do is cap the leads leading to the second bulb
(cap to 600V min usually).

Harry

 

Depends on a bunch of things.

You will probly have short life on the bulb.
If your lamps have filaments then the transformer is designed to provide the
proper voltage to two sets of filaments.
If you use just one set, then the voltage will be high and the filaments
will have a very short life.

It is possible to load every thing down with resistors, but they will have
to be large high wattage resistors .
You best bet is to as some one has noted, get another ballast.

 

These are very old (40 years); mfr no longer in biz. If one lamp dies, the
other one flickers or goes dark. So some load is necessary in the 2nd lamp
position, if it is removed.

Ideas?

 

buy a new ballast or fixture.
They are cheap e nought

 

There use to be phantom lamps made. So you could reduce the light output by
half.
I have not seen a phantom lamp in years. I would change the ballast

 

There's ways to do it, but it won't save much (any?) power. My advice is to
pick up one of those Advance F32T8 electronic ballasts from Home Depot and
install a T8 tube, they have two independant secondaries and can safely run
one or two lamps. They're only about $15 too.