This website has an interesting article on the plague of mercury starvation problems that have resulted from "low mercury" fluorescent tubes (cough Philips Alto T8's cough). Notice how vintage lamps with full mercury doses actually last their rated life and then some! Anyway here is the link. http://www.stitzell.com/customer/stelde/customerpages/slumpers.htm

This is very true, especially when the new Alto 2 lamps get used because they have 30% less mercury. They do not mention how the instant start ballasts can get killed because of the open circuit voltage (ocv) goes up in a failed lamp as the argon (pink) glow needs a lot of voltage to keep the arc struck. The ballast is overworked and failes after a couple of months. Also 24/7 applications also see mercurey starvation problems with GE and Phillips.

If the ballast die due to "slumper" lamp, it is crappy quality ballast, because EOL protection (the most essential feature for long ballast life) is missing...

My F32T8 ballast is a rapid start magnetic ballast as opposed to the more common instant start electronic lamp killer variety. I wonder if that makes a difference in whether lamps go mercury starved or not.

it should prolng the lamps life and it should take longer to go mercury starved. i use my lights too frequently to have this slumper issue.  the t8 lampkillers got one of my bulbs yesterday.