this probably does exist but are bi pin 8 foot lamps a thing? not just a single pin

Yes, they were available in Europe to use on switch start gear. I believe they are no longer in production, but others would be more knowledgeable in that field.

Yep they exist, but as sol said, they are a European thing.
There was 3 different wattages that I've heard of, 125w, 100w, and a less common 80w .. all T12.

If you take a US F96T12 HO Philips or Sylvania lamp, the RDC thingies can generally be popped off, revealing standard bi-pin ends.

Yes, the RDC cap can oftentimes be popped off, however I believe the lamp is a tad shorter to accommodate the plunger lamp holder.

I believe the European 8 footer lamps are no longer in production. There might be some imported ones, though. In North America, I believe there might be some tanning lamps that would be bipin 8-foot, however I think most are 6-foot. Not a tanning bed user, to I don't really know.

I'm not sure where you live, but if there is a boatyard near you, they might have an idea where to get some as some boats, even if built over here, are built with European electrical appliances, for whatever reason that may be.

I sorta remember someone saying the European 8-footers are a couple inches shorter than 8-feet, and that a RDC-removed US HO lamp actually does fit.
I know for a fact that a F96T12 HO 95w energy saver will work on UK switch-start gear, because I've tested it


I'd have to ask over on the UK lighting site to see if the 8-footers are still in production.
I put a question out there so we'll see what they say...

I know some of the 100w bi-pin 8-footers were made here in the US, because someone posted a pic just recently
http://www.lighting-gallery.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-141992

I'm in Colorado, so only boats here are small personal ones people take to lakes.

The 100W and 125W and the 80W, are British 8ft lamps. They aren't available in Europe, where the highest wattage of T12 there is 65W.

Ok  Guys this  been a bit off comments

I own a British pop pack here in Texas, yes that right
The HOs  and British fluorescent tubes are same lenth
Tubes they are not shorter as i also have a pair of
8 foot 125 watt tubes in Texas too.  There same lenth
94 inches. The  100 watt tube is a rounded up
Wattage from 95 watts and will work fine as  i tested
It with out a cap,  Even 110 watt  HO tube work fine
Problem  was with cap in series with choke on 60 Hz
Raise the current draw 1.25 amps and choke rated for
940 mA so i had to reduce cap value to 5 uF getting
790 mA so ive been running American HO tube full
Power with RDC popped off ever since. So yes there u have a Working preheat in America.

The 75 watt slimelines decapped and converted to bipin
Might just work on 85 watt 8 foot fluorescent gear
It just be a bit over driven

Xmaslightguy i think u got bit mix up
Here wirh 80 watt 5 footer and a 85 watt 8 footer
UK lamps here  

@funkybulb:
Yep, I meant 85w not 80.
I think one of those might just work on a 2xF40 ballast, wired for single lamp.

I've had a 7' 100w HO lamp on my British Thorn gear for a few years(edit: actually its been since late 2011 .wow.), gets short bits of use almost every day. Surprisingly its still going fine & lamp looks nearly un-used.

In my original tests I used a 95w lamp which worked fine.
Also tried a 110w (adding the capacitor), that quite obviously was overdriving the chokes... I should sometime try a smaller cap like you did.


@sol:
I asked, and the answer is yes & no:
The big ones - Ge/Philips/Sylvania have all discontinued production.
Light Emission Technologies (which are actually US made) & Armourlamps (which are China made) are still.

Yes, now that you mention it, they have stopped production. Armourlamp, as far as I could read here, is not a really good product. I believe the LET ones are better, however.