[xlakebodomx]

Lowes was out of stick of the 48" i needed for t5 lighting fixture so the manager offered me the same clearance price for two 24" fixtures. Problem is they are rated for 2 14w lamps and all the available spectrum lamps i see are t5 HO or 24w. The fixture is not sold wired so given that it needs wiring up could one just attach the two fixtures and in some fashion combine the two ballasts to operate two 48" long t5? I think where i am going with this is cost as ballasts for these things are in the upper hundreds and the whole reason of this method was price cutting, and maybe a lesson in electronics. If anyone could spill some knowledge to this noob would be appreciated.

 

[Hoppy]

You couldn't combine two ballasts to drive one bulb. The ballast takes the 60Hz 110 VAC supply and converts it to a much higher frequency at a voltage appropriate for the length (wattage) tube(s) it is designed for. You can't run two AC power sources in series. When you have 220 volt wiring in your house, you get that voltage by adding two 110 volt lines, but they are supplied to you with a common (ground) in between them and they are synchronized. When you use 110 volts you are just using one of those paired sources.

If I am wrong on any of that, I hope someone with more knowledge will correct me.

A much better idea is to just place the two fixtures end to end, making a 48 inch long fixture. That will provide the same light you would get from a 48 inch bulb. Wire the two fixtures in parallel, so one switch turns both on at once, and you have the full equivalent of a 48 inch fixture.

 

[mistergreen]

if those fixtures don't have good reflectors, it's not really worth buying. You might want to post a link of the type of fixture it is.

 

[xlakebodomx]

i cant really find the exact image of it. there are no built in reflectors but i dont see how it couldn't be installed. Also hoppy, i did wire an extra ballast to a VHO 36" and worked, however i do think is is bad for the ballast as they are designed to operate off of the 110 AC voltage, and i think they werein parallel to the source power. The low and high spectrums of K are not listed on the t5s at lowes. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?acti...uctId=252796-1390-GL9824-T5-WHES-I&lpage=none
is the similar fixture