26-08-2014, 06:20 PM
Personally, I think that's the best solution as it eliminates the flicker from the tubes.
How noticeable flicker is is highly subjective, but I often notice the flicker from fluorescent tubes in my peripheral vision. For that reason, I have an electronic ballast in the lamp above my bench. I went for a dimable type, as I'm using a pair of 80 watt tubes (T5 types, 5 foot long) in a home-made fitting with a ballast bought from eBay for about £20. These are seriously bright, and the dimmer is rarely past 25%.
The downside of electronic ballasts is the RF interference. The general lighting in the workshop is provided by three 5 foot T8 fittings with conventional control gear, and I have a bi-pin angle-poise that is also standard. I'm planning to re-purpose some LED strips (found in a skip, thanks to ballast failure), and drive them with a linear PSU.
The other downside of electronic ballasts is the limited life expectancy, but it's usually capacitors failing that cause it. But at that price, it's hardly worth worrying - if it works well, buy a second and keep it somewhere safe
How noticeable flicker is is highly subjective, but I often notice the flicker from fluorescent tubes in my peripheral vision. For that reason, I have an electronic ballast in the lamp above my bench. I went for a dimable type, as I'm using a pair of 80 watt tubes (T5 types, 5 foot long) in a home-made fitting with a ballast bought from eBay for about £20. These are seriously bright, and the dimmer is rarely past 25%.
The downside of electronic ballasts is the RF interference. The general lighting in the workshop is provided by three 5 foot T8 fittings with conventional control gear, and I have a bi-pin angle-poise that is also standard. I'm planning to re-purpose some LED strips (found in a skip, thanks to ballast failure), and drive them with a linear PSU.
The other downside of electronic ballasts is the limited life expectancy, but it's usually capacitors failing that cause it. But at that price, it's hardly worth worrying - if it works well, buy a second and keep it somewhere safe
