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T5 light redo


CrazyEyes

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Recently picked up a Wavepoint 4x24w t5 light for $15. Not too stoked about the bulbs or the ballast but the housing itself is solid. I was thinking about changing the ballet to a HEP ballast. So my question is, the ballast now runs 4x24w bulbs, now I don't mind having one ballast so would I be able to use a ballast that can run 2 54w bulbs for running 4 24w bulbs?

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Recently picked up a Wavepoint 4x24w t5 light for $15. Not too stoked about the bulbs or the ballast but the housing itself is solid. I was thinking about changing the ballet to a HEP ballast. So my question is, the ballast now runs 4x24w bulbs, now I don't mind having one ballast so would I be able to use a ballast that can run 2 54w bulbs for running 4 24w bulbs?

 

No. That's not how ballasts work. You need to buy a ballast that supports 4 bulbs so it has the wiring.

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Thanks Gus, Ben just rained on my parade. So a part of me really wants to gut this thing and add good ballast, nice reflectors and bulbs. The other part of me wants to just add some ati bulbs and call it a day. Is there a safety risk to these cheap ballast?

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Yeah. I'm heavily leaning towards adding new ballast. The reflectors aren't really that much of a concern because even though it's one piece, it basically has individual reflectors.

20160828_181825_zpsitoya5z1.jpg

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No I'm almost positive it only has 1 ballast. I need to pull it all the way apart to check. I just assumed that since there was only 1 power cord and all 4 bulbs are either on your off that it only had 1 ballast.

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gulfsurfer101

Gus is the man who helped me put my fixture together. I have a wavepoint 4 bulb reflector for 54w bulbs. Initially it came with two rapidb start ballasts similar to the old workhorse ones. I replaced them with one single program start ballast and non shunted end caps. Without them your basically running a rapid start on your bulbs. The non shunted caps are what signals your bulbs to fire at a much softer start keeping your bulbs in better shape. Replace the ballast and caps then the bulbs and your good. The reflector is actually pretty decent. I lucked out and scored mine for 20 bucks as well and couldn't have been happier.

Word of advice also! The way wavepoint jumpered all their wiring may not work with your new ballast. It's best to follow the diagram on the new ballast and try not and match the nightmare that was stock.

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Gus, can you make some suggestions on ballast? I've looked and wasn't able to find anything. Gulfsurfer, I'll order some non shunted end caps.

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/PHILIPS-ADVANCE-Electronic-Ballast-T5-Lamps-120-277V-39W-1-or-2-lamps-/322037050525?hash=item4afae76c9d:g:y9YAAOSwZQxW409P

 

Only two lamps per ballast, but to get more than that you're likely looking at a lot more money.

 

This^. I missed the part where the light was 4x24W. You will need 2 ballasts. The good news is that from the pictures of the space you can easily fit 2 ICN-2S39T if you mount them facing each other on the side walls. You will also have to gut the wiring and start from scratch as the tombstones are shunted in the picture and you need unshunted for programmed start. The good news is that you can use those same tombstones after you pull the wiring. For wiring only use 600v rated solid core wire. Can easily be purchased at any electric supply store.

 

Another advantage of using the ICN-2S39T is that in 24W mode the ballast factor is 1.12. The bulbs will be 25% brighter than the stock trash workhorse.

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How do these compare to the HEP ballast?

 

Philips have better spec. At both being the same price the Philips is better. Now if the Philips was a lot more expensive than the HEP I would say just buy the HEP. Example being dimmable HEP vs Mark VII Philips.

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jedimasterben

You won't have nearly enough wire. Just scrap it all and use new, it'll be the same price since you pretty much will be buying a small roll anyway.

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Got the light taken apart. I have to find the correct non shunted end caps to use, these ones screwed into the reflector, so I need to find some like that. The only thing I really hate about this light is, you have to take the end cap off to slide the reflector out in order to change the bulbs.

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Got the light taken apart. I have to find the correct non shunted end caps to use, these ones screwed into the reflector, so I need to find some like that. The only thing I really hate about this light is, you have to take the end cap off to slide the reflector out in order to change the bulbs.

Like I said earlier those tombstones are shunted by wire. You do not need to get new ones. Just remove all the wiring and start from scratch.

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