I couldn't get three F8T5 lamps to work (200V OCV not enough), but this setup worked pretty well. Although, in the beginning, arc voltage was 167V and lamp current was 0.14A, which is perfect, but as time went on the arc voltage kept crawling downward, and so current kept going up. After 15 minutes or so, arc voltage was 158V, and current was 0.21A, so I cut it off. Line current in the beginning was 0.38A, only a mere half of the rated, making for a very cool running ballast.

Unfortunately, this experiment cost me one of my Hitachi 8 watt lamps when a wire accidentally touched another, causing one cathode of said lamp to be solely connected to the ballast, receiving probably over an amp of current. It blew open, and I fried the lamp on the Fulham later.