A Robertson Transformer Co. Model S40B Preheat fluorescent lamp ballast for one 30, 32, or 40 watt lamp.
I found this at one of my old schools and the maintenance person let me have it. In this video, I have hooked up Sylvania T8 32 watt lamp I happened to have on hand. Didn't think it would start that easily since the T8 lamps require a slightly higher starting voltage but it did fire it up although it flickered a lot from the time it started until it warmed up after two minutes.
well, i have only one left, its on a piece of wood, with a 15 watt tl-d and a helvar L-20A Preheat Ballast,
maybe you can go to your local home depot or constructionshop, and pick up a cheap tl-fixture, and take out the starter socket. in my country (netherlands) they have tl-d 18 watt fixtures fof 5 euro! its like a few dollars...
djFadeOut122 3 years ago
would you be willing to part with any? please send me a message. thanks.
dieselducy 3 years ago
well, i have some laying around....
djFadeOut122 3 years ago
THAT IS AWESOME!! i bought a preheat ballast and all i need is a starter socket. any recomendations on where i can get a starter socket?
dieselducy 3 years ago
And it looks like I didn't even have to do that cause it started with the glowtube starter just fine this time.
DavidFromAE 3 years ago
That is pretty cool! I tried to start up an F32T8 on a preheat F30/40 ballast with an FS4 starter but it just kept blinking without starting. I have both Advance and Magnetek ones and got the same result with both. I'll have to try manually starting it.
DavidFromAE 3 years ago
Cool ballast! DavidfromAE would like this one.
Here's another one to try. F17T8's (two foot T8's) start right up on F20T12 preheat ballasts. They also work on F20T12 rapid start ballasts as well.
bamaslamma1003 3 years ago