This may be a dumb question, but I have an F96T12/VHO Turret I picked up last year, and I've been wanting to test it, and I noticed recently that my local Lowes has GE F96T12/HO tubes for sale, so I'm wondering if I can test my VHO turret with HO tubes, or will the HO tubes mess up the test results?

If the arc voltages are similar, you will "only" destroy the tubes, so for a short current test it will be OK.
But if the arc voltage is different, you will have no reference to compare the result, as it is normal for a ballast tohave its arc current somehow dependent on the arc voltage.

Yes you can test it with the the HO tubes, no harm will come to the ballast or tubes for a short-term test.
(I've done this myself)

Okay, I think i may check later today and see if the ballast works or not.

If the arc voltages are similar, you will "only" destroy the tubes, so for a short current test it will be OK.
But if the arc voltage is different, you will have no reference to compare the result, as it is normal for a ballast tohave its arc current somehow dependent on the arc voltage.

AFAIK, the voltage between a F96T12HO and a F96T12VHO is more or less the same, it's the current that different.

So I did the test, and it appears the ballast has a bad capacitor.

On the bright side, it appears to run HO lamps without overdriving them too hard.

Okay, I think i may check later today and see if the ballast works or not.
AFAIK, the voltage between a F96T12HO and a F96T12VHO is more or less the same, it's the current that different.

The current I knew about, but the voltage I wasn't sure, so therefore I recommended to doble check it. And it seems it worked well for you...

The problem with running HO tubes long term on VHO ballasts is that the VHO ballasts will severely overdrive the HO lamp since HO lamps are designed to run at 0.8a while VHO lamps are designed to run at 1.5a.

The problem with running HO tubes long term on VHO ballasts is that the VHO ballasts will severely overdrive the HO lamp since HO lamps are designed to run at 0.8a while VHO lamps are designed to run at 1.5a.

But it seems in this case, the VHO ballast is out of spec for a F96T12VHO, but is nearly the correct spec for a F96T12HO.

But it seems in this case, the VHO ballast is out of spec for a F96T12VHO, but is nearly the correct spec for a F96T12HO.

If the ballast is supposed to give 1.5A but gives just 0.7A, it means it is faulty and needs to be fixed. It won't be good for the HO, as it will very likely deteriorate further very fast...