Jul 05, 2018 at 08:32 PM Author: Fluorescent05
For some reason, these won't work on my 2 1997 Advance R-2S40-1-TP magnetic rapid start ballasts. Does anyone know why?

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Jul 05, 2018 at 08:44 PM Author: High Intensity
One of two (or more) things could be happening here, either the ballasts OCV is too low to start the lamp or the lamp got damaged when it was getting moved.

Old lighting is, and will always be, the best lighting.

Jul 05, 2018 at 09:05 PM Author: Fluorescent05
I don't know how to measure the OCV of an HPF ballast, maybe the capacitor is stopping me from getting a true reading? Also, both lamps were put back in afterward and still work.

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Jul 06, 2018 at 12:03 AM Author: Lightingguy1994
A typical 2 lamp rapid start magnetic ballast runs the lamps in series. You'll have 2 wires of Red, Blue and Yellow. The way these work is the voltage starts from the blue wires, travels through lamp one, goes through yellow and through lamp2 into red wires completing the series circuit of the pair of lamps. So to check the OCV, you'll need a multimeter set to AC, place one probe into one of the pins of the lampholder with the blue wires and the other probe into one of the pins in the red wire lampholder. This will give you your OCV. If you want to check the electrode heating voltage of the ballast. You just put one probe in each of the pins of the same lampholder of your choice. You can do that on all 4 to make sure there is voltage. Should be around 4v or so

Administrator #5

Jul 06, 2018 at 12:04 AM Author: Lightingguy1994
As for your lamp starting trouble, this can be when your ballast is not connected to ground. Magnetic ballasts need to be in a grounded fixture to start the lamps reliably.

Administrator #5

Jul 06, 2018 at 01:05 AM Author: fluorescent lover 40
This one is 1970's. Made at the Salina, Kansas Plant.

Good quality things are awesome. Bad quality things are not.

Jul 06, 2018 at 05:52 AM Author: Fluorescent05
@Lightingguy1994, I did the OCV test and got 175 volts, which seems odd because those ballasts were working before with 34 watt lamps. Now the lamps won't even glow. Also, I rubbed my hands across the lamps to try to start them. @fluorescent lover 40, wow, Westinghouse and Philips both used that plant that early before the buyout?

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Jul 06, 2018 at 11:39 AM Author: Lightingguy1994
There is an issue with the ballast. It probably has a fault in it

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Jul 06, 2018 at 11:58 AM Author: fluorescent lover 40
Yep. Westinghouse originally built that plant.

Good quality things are awesome. Bad quality things are not.

Jul 07, 2018 at 09:49 PM Author: Fluorescent05
I tested both ballasts with other tubes and they worked.

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Jul 07, 2018 at 11:00 PM Author: Lightingguy1994
Strange, I'm not sure whats up then

Administrator #5

Jul 15, 2018 at 07:45 AM Author: Fluorescent05
I have an idea, the lamps say "preheat - rapid start" on them. Maybe older RS ballasts had higher cathode heating voltage than my late 1990s ones. The other tubes I tested them with were newer. These old westys still worked on the 1970s shoplight in the garage that has an (assuming original) GE Bonus Line ballast in it.

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Aug 13, 2018 at 07:02 PM Author: Fluorescent05
These lamps now work fine on the Mark III ballast I mentioned above. Weird.

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Mar 23, 2020 at 02:32 PM Author: Fluorescent05
Is this from some time in 1976 due to there being 4 dots on it?

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Mar 23, 2020 at 02:37 PM Author: Fluorescent05
Quote from fluorescent lover 40 on Mar 23, 2020 at 01:33 PM Yes. Why does it say USA in the middle instead of a number?

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Mar 23, 2020 at 02:39 PM Author: fluorescent lover 40
Never mind, I made a mistake. Sorry.

Good quality things are awesome. Bad quality things are not.

Mar 23, 2020 at 02:57 PM Author: Fluorescent05
Quote from fluorescent lover 40 on Mar 23, 2020 at 01:39 PM Never mind, I made a mistake. Sorry. So it doesn't have a date code?

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart

Mar 23, 2020 at 02:58 PM Author: fluorescent lover 40
There is a date code, I'm not sure if I'm right on it though.

Good quality things are awesome. Bad quality things are not.

Mar 23, 2020 at 03:01 PM Author: High Intensity
It's made in 1976.

Old lighting is, and will always be, the best lighting.

Mar 23, 2020 at 03:02 PM Author: Fluorescent05
Quote from High Intensity on Mar 23, 2020 at 02:01 PM It's made in 1976. Either that or 75. There looks like there could be a missing dot to the left.

I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend. -Neal Peart