Author Topic: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America?  (Read 1143 times)
108CAM
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Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « on: August 14, 2022, 08:33:53 PM » Author: 108CAM
Been wondering this since I started collecting and using the site. North American countries seem to use 32w tubes instead of 36w tubes. I'm fairly sure it has something to do with the difference in voltage and the use of rapid start ballasts.
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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #1 on: August 14, 2022, 11:04:40 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
I think that by the time that F36T8 fluorescent tubes were developed for the European market, North American preheat ballasts and fixtures designed for F40T12 fluorescent tubes were mostly discontinued in favor of rapid start ballasts and fixtures with the exception of some single tube fixtures that have a tendency to underdrive F40T12 fluorescent tubes and that F36T8 fluorescent tubes have a hard time starting or holding arcs on rapid start ballasts, but start and run better on single tube F40T12 preheat ballasts and most 1940s-1950s brick style 2 lamp lead lag F40T12 preheat ballasts, but have problems running on later 2 lamp lead lag F40T12 preheat ballasts that use smaller casings.
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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #2 on: August 15, 2022, 12:07:30 AM » Author: Medved
At the time the T12 was "targeted" to be replaced by something more efficient, the RS was the most common type in the 120V regions, while the preheat (series choke) in the 230V ones.

As it was possible to design a more efficient replacement 120cm T8 lamp for the preheat ballast style (with sufficiently high ignition peak from the starter), the markets using preheat circuits as the most common ballast got such lamp, a F36T8, even when that arc voltage/current wasn't that optimal for the tube dimensions (it ended up brighter, so only 10% power saving), the compatibility with existing gear was very strong motivator to compromise a bit. Drawback was, there was not 100% performance compatibility (new lamp was brighter) and so not that much power saving (just about 10%) in existing installations.

However the standard RS ballasts had just too low voltage so it became impossible to design the replacement T8 to reliably ignite on that. That meant the more efficient T8 had to come with its own ballast anyway. So when there was no compatibility possible, the 4' T8 was optimized completely (for tge lowest power for the given size and required light output), allowing 20% power reduction so ending up as F32T8.
   
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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #3 on: August 17, 2022, 02:30:58 AM » Author: bulb_tester2009
I think in North America, it may be the use of e-Hf high-frequency special fluorescent tubes, which have higher light efficiency, relatively more power saving, and longer life.
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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #4 on: August 25, 2022, 12:21:23 AM » Author: 108CAM
I'm assuming these same reasons would also explain why F58T8 tubes are uncommon in North American countries.
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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #5 on: August 25, 2022, 12:50:40 AM » Author: xmaslightguy
Here in the US, there was a period where  F36T8's were somewhat common sold as aquarium lighting (advertised as a brighter/more efficient retrofit for F40T12's that would work on existing ballasts)


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Quote from: 108CAM
I'm assuming these same reasons would also explain why F58T8 tubes are uncommon in North American countries.
5-foot anything was never common in North America
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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #6 on: August 25, 2022, 12:56:59 AM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
F58T8 and F70T8 fluorescent tubes were mostly found in commercial refrigerators at grocery stores.
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DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #7 on: August 25, 2022, 03:56:50 AM » Author: joseph_125
F40T8s (5ft 40w T8 lamp, most F32T8 electronic ballasts will run them) were sometimes used in troffers designed for 5ft ceiling grids here. Although true 5ft troffers aren't that common with most 5ft ceiling grids using 5ft troffers designed for 4ft lamps instead.

F60T12/HO lamps were also common in refrigerators at one point.
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Re: Why Are F36T8 Tubes Almost Non Existent in North America? « Reply #8 on: August 26, 2022, 11:43:22 AM » Author: funkybulb
 The  18 watt T8 2 footer is most common to find however
It was sold as Applince lamps  for Stoves and dryers
The be labeled as F24T8 or F18T8.    If your looking old school
 Cool whites that where u would find it.
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