t5 question

The ballast.

Are there two specific t5 bulb designs...one HO and one NO...thanks!

The ballast because it effectively reads the lamp connected to it and provides the proper electrical requirements for the lamp. Some use a look up table and some measure the filament signature.

An electronic ballast for T5HO can run T5HO properly, and drop down to run T5NO correctly or slightly over driven.

An electronic ballast for T5NO, can run T5NO correctly, and run T5HO lamps at T5NO correctly. And sometimes a bit more than standard T5NO output.

The fixture can contribute to the issue as well. Fluorescent lamps, up to some point of failure, run better as they warm up. Right up to the point where the thermal cut out or breaker, cuts out.

T5 NO and T5 HO fuxtures have different, ballasts and different bulbs. Some fixtures can run both, but you can't count on that unless it is stated.

king kong said:

Are there two specific t5 bulb designs...one HO and one NO...thanks!

Click to expand...

Different filament characteristics and possibly different gas mixtures.
There are also, different lengths of T5NO lamps. Some of them have different enough electrical characteristics to not run properly on "our" standard T5NO ballasts.

[email protected] said:

There are also, different lengths of T5NO lamps. Some of them have different enough electrical characteristics to not run properly on "our" standard T5NO ballasts.

Click to expand...

Are you referring to different bulb brands not fitting specific fixtures or ballasts? Or did you mean that "our" refers to the U.S. vs. other countries?