# Noob Fluorescent Question



## Big John (May 23, 2010)

I was doing fixture repairs yesterday and discovered that the T8 lamps we have strike _extremely_ slowly in on a brand new instant start ballast. The warmup time to full output was probably 10 minutes.

The lamp part number is offered in both "instant start" and "rapid start" so I suspect the purchasing manager cheaped out and got rapid start lamps. What are the negative consequences of running them in an instant start ballast?

And is there any way to actually tell a "rapid start" from an "instant start"? I know rapid have the little heater elements that you can read resistance through, but I don't know if that's true of instant.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Big John said:


> I was doing fixture repairs yesterday and discovered that the T8 lamps we have strike _extremely_ slowly in on a brand new instant start ballast. The warmup time to full output was probably 10 minutes.
> 
> The lamp part number is offered in both "instant start" and "rapid start" so I suspect the purchasing manager cheaped out and got rapid start lamps. What are the negative consequences of running them in an instant start ballast?
> 
> And is there any way to actually tell a "rapid start" from an "instant start"? I know rapid have the little heater elements that you can read resistance through, but I don't know if that's true of instant.


The lamps are the same, the ballast and fixture wiring determine instant start from rapid start. Read this:

http://www.halcolighting.com/pdf/WP/T8-IS-Retrofit.pdf

Pertinent excerpt:



> T8 lamps are designed as rapid-start lamps, as are T12 lamps, and they are capable of being operated on rapid
> start, programmed rapid start or instant start ballasts. Electronic T8 ballasts are most commonly instant-start
> configurations, where there is no cathode heating


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Weird. I was looking at a couple websites that divided GE F32T8s into two different categories, "instant" and "rapid." But when I look at spec sheets, I see there's no such designation on those lamp numbers. 

I guess it's someone's marketing BS. Thanks for the help.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Big John said:


> I was doing fixture repairs yesterday and discovered that the T8 lamps we have strike _extremely_ slowly in on a brand new instant start ballast. The warmup time to full output was probably 10 minutes.
> 
> The lamp part number is offered in both "instant start" and "rapid start" so I suspect the purchasing manager cheaped out and got rapid start lamps. What are the negative consequences of running them in an instant start ballast?
> 
> And is there any way to actually tell a "rapid start" from an "instant start"? I know rapid have the little heater elements that you can read resistance through, but I don't know if that's true of instant.



This is common with new lamps,On the first start the middle will be dim and take as long as a 1/2 hour to fill in and get to full brightness,Run them for a few hours then shut them off let them cool off then light them again They should light up more normal looking.

This has to do with the new type of gas they're using,So they need to burn for a while and the problem should go away.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Good to know, when someone asked me, that was my answer, too. But I'll admit, I was guessing. Apparently I'm way behind on the fluorescent technology curve.


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## BytheBook (May 29, 2013)

We rotate the lights back and forth like a light saber while running our hands up and down the bulb. This seems to stir up the gases a bit and get it up to speed quicker we have noticed.


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

HARRY304E said:


> This is common with new lamps,On the first start the middle will be dim and take as long as a 1/2 hour to fill in and get to full brightness,Run them for a few hours then shut them off let them cool off then light them again They should light up more normal looking.
> 
> This has to do with the new type of gas they're using,So they need to burn for a while and the problem should go away.


We ran across this converting some 8' T12's to T8's in a warehouse. I had to hang around to prove to the customer that yes, they will eventually fire all the way up so to speak. It was T&M so I did not mind hanging around on his dime.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

BytheBook said:


> We rotate the lights back and forth like a light saber while running our hands up and down the bulb. This seems to stir up the gases a bit and get it up to speed quicker we have noticed.


Did you make lightsaber noises while you did it?


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