Greenfinger2
Member
Hi All, How often do you replace you plant tubes ??
The black ends is the heater element evaporating away. Also causes light drop as it darkens the whole tube. If you use an electronic striking ballast, as used by Juwel lighting (and others) they don't use the heater, just apply 1000v pulse to start the tube. Not using the heater means significantly longer life and lumen maintenance. You do get slight blackening after years this due to slight heater evaporation after being bombarded by electrons and ions.usually change as the black area at the ends of the lamps increases.
2 year old tube vs. new tube
That's going to be very very expensive. We just paid £7.50 each (in bulk) for 600x600 office ceiling light fittings with 4 x T8 tubes fitted and magnetic ballast, to replace failed units in our new offices. Cheaper than replacing tubes and/or ballasts, buy & fit new unit. Did look at T5 units but starting at around £30-£40 each and LED's, as well as not as being so bright, started at £60 each.There is an EU work remit that will be removing all T8's and magnetic ballasts from production