Do T8 lamps require a special ballast or fixture?
T8 lamps require electronic ballast specifically designed to operate lamps at a lower current than T12 lamps. Whenever T12 lamps are replaced with T8 lamps, the ballast must also be replaced. When you install electronic ballast for optimum light quality and efficiency; electronic ballasts don’t flicker or hum, and they use less power! T12, T10, and T8 lamps can all use the medium bi-pin base, which allows T8, and T10 lamps to fit into the same luminaires as T12 lamps of the same length. T5 lamps have a different base, and are shorter than T8s, so new lumenaires are needed. Electronic ballasts operate fluorescent lamps at much higher frequencies (20KHz and up) than the standard 60 Hz at which magnetic ballasts operate lamps. Because of the common .88 ballast factor, many electronic types of ballast provide a slight reduction in light output while using significantly less power compared to magnetic ballasts, which generally have a ballast factor of .94. Electronic ballasts with higher ba
