What is the Difference Between a T8 Electronic Ballast and an Incandescent Ballast

When you are using fluorescent lighting around your home, then you should be aware of the differences between the T8 electronic ballast and the incandescent ballast. The type of fluorescent lighting in your home will be seriously affected if you get this ballast wrong, so make sure that you know exactly what you are doing before it goes wrong. The T8 electronic ballast is particularly designed for fluorescent lighting, and should only be used in that type of bulb, while the incandescent should only be used in the incandescent lamps which are placed around the home.

The T8 Electronic Ballast

The main feature of the T8 ballasts means that they can operate on T8 bulbs, a particular type of fluorescent bulbs, although it can also match other types of bulb which fluoresce. You may find that some fluorescent bulbs will not work with this kind of ballast, as it is not designed to use an ignitor, or capacitor, which may render some of the bulbs inoperative.

The T8 electronic ballast also has additional advantages, as it and the bulb are both better for the environment than the incandescent type of bulb. You may find that you also do not need to use as many bulb ballasts as with the incandescent, as they last longer. Cheaper and more efficient, the T8 Electronic ballast is definitely preferable to the old fashioned style of bulb.

The Incandescent Ballast

Unlike the features of the T8 electrical ballast, the incandescent is typically slower and more unreliable, particularly for starts after the bulb has been turned off for a period. However, most incandescent bulbs do not need or use a ballast, so they are not familiar to many families in the United States. To get the most out of an incandescent ballast, the user must have the right kind of lamp, otherwise the process will be a complete waste of time. Incandescent lights do not work in the same way as fluorescent, and an incandescent ballast is rather a redundant feature.

Differences between T8 Electronic Ballast and Incandescent Ballast

The differences between the two different types of ballast are plain to see. The use of ballast in fluorescent bulbs is necessary, as the bulb used a fuel source to provide light, rather than using heat like an incandescent. The fluorescent ballast conducts electricity to the required parts of the lamp, thereby keeping everything fully powered.

On the contrary, an incandescent bulb does not need an electronic source in the same way, as fuel is lit through the electronic parts in the center of the bulb. The T8 ballast is therefore designed to be used with fluorescent bulbs, and is a necessary part of its manufacture, while the incandescent lighting system is not suited to using ballast, and any incandescent ballast would be utterly wasted on the bulb.