Hello fellow members.  I have several dozen NIB 2 pin CFL 26 watt lamps.  I have seen screw in base ballast "adapters" for these, so they can be used in light sockets.  I would love to get about 6 of them.  Have any of you seen them or know where I can find them?  I have done searches and have found nothing.

Hey John. I know it's not the same thing but I saw a lot of 14 ballasts for 2 pin 28 watt PL-L lamps which I think might be pretty close to the same thing that they might run them. I'm pretty sure they're preheat judging by how the ballasts look. However, it's also mad expensive given that it's a lot of 14. Maybe you could ask the seller if they could sell some individually. Here's the link.

Unrelated, I've also seen a listing for a preheat ballast for an 18 watt 2 pin CFL, which probably uses an autotransformer judging by its size. I don't know if it has enough power to start one of your 26 watt PL lamps but if it does the lamp will most likely be underdriven by a lot. Just in case the offer is tempting anyway, here's the link.

Update, I think I found a ballast for 26 watt PL-L lamps. Again, it's not a screw-in adapter but it's closer than the previous two links I posted. Here it is. It's an Advance.

John, did you see my reply to an earlier thread where I posted this link? The listing says 22-28 watt, but I can't tell for sure if that's correct. Its worth a try! If you want, I'll buy one and see what it really is. If it is rated for 26 watt tubes, can you send me one or two 26 watt tubes in exchange for those Vemco starters I sent you a while back?

@Daveman, that is a lot of ballasts!  They may work, but what I am actually looking for is more like what Nogden posted.  I may look into some of the ones you linked to in your second post though!  The lamps I have use the GX23-3 base (I believe from memory)
@nogden, sure!  Please let me know if the fitting works for a 26 watt lamp and I will send you some and order several of the fittings! It looks like exactly what I am looking for!  There is one here that I have been "watching" for a while, but it has a different base and ain't cheap!  Looks mighty big too!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170238591144&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I just bought one. I'll let you know what comes in!

Please PM me when you get it and let me know how it works!  I will send you a couple lamps for it and order some of these for myself if you are happy with its performance.

John, have you contacted P&M lighting? It's been a while since I've been there, but they used to have an assortment of used screw in ballasts for PLL lamps and I know you've bought from them before.

I think I've seen a screw in PL adapter that could do multiple wattages and had multiple pin hole configurations and you could even plug the 2 pin preheat ones in them, but they had an electronic ballast. Somehow though the starter still kicked in when the lamp started. I think most of the 26 watt screw in PL adapters were big and made of metal since those lamps need a ballast with an autotransformer to provide a sufficient arc voltage. I'm not sure on that though.

John, have you contacted P&M lighting? It's been a while since I've been there, but they used to have an assortment of used screw in ballasts for PLL lamps and I know you've bought from them before.

@don93s, I will be contacting them soon.  Unfortunately, I have been out on jobsites from sunup to sundown the last few days.  I want to get the F20/RED lamps from them and will ask then.  Thanks for the info!  I want to put these 26 watt lamps to use.  The 13 watt ones are not bright enough in some applications.

John, no luck here. The adapter I ordered is for 28 watt tubes only. It appears to require a GX32d-3 base, and I don't believe a 26 watt tube will fit.

Interestingly enough, the case is designed to accept either a 22 or 28 watt lamp. There is a breakout tab that the manufacturer breaks out to "key" the adapter for the correct lamp. Therefore it seems like 22 and 28 watt lamps are similar, yet 26 watt tubes seem to be entirely different. I don't quite understand it! The only thing I can think is that the 22 and 28 watt tubes seem to be a larger diameter than the 5/7/9/13/26 watt tubes. Being a different diameter might change the electrical properties sufficiently that a 26 watt tube requires vastly different voltage and current than 22 and 28 watt lamps. Any ideas?

I have no clue! I know Farmtek used to sell a screw in adapter for 26 watt 2 pin CFLs, so I know one has been produced... now, just finding out WHERE one is located is gonna be the trick! The one I posted the link to probably has the same base as the one you just got. I really want to find the right one to run the 26 watt lamps. They would be perfect in my table lamps in plave of those junky spiral things.