T5 Longevity?

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Moto-Man

Noli urinae contra ventus
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
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Hey everyone, I guess I might know the answer already, but my 4-tube T5 fixture is getting pretty warm.. where the ballast is situated and the bulbs are pretty darn warm too!

I guess it's replacement time... can anyone chime in and point me to a fixture that might last longer than 2.5 years... or is that sorta normal?

Cheers,
 
Replace the bulbs and or ballast if you want but warm does not mean bad.
 
I would think the real way to find out if the bulbs and/or ballast are failing would be to get a light intensity tester and test a new fixture, then compare that to your older fixture to see if the lumens are dimenished any. If they are considerably weaker, I would first replace the bulbs as they are usually the first to "wear out". Usually the ballast parts show major symptoms when they wear out. Once you replace the bulbs, check them again to see if ther is significant improvement in lumens. More often than not, the bulbs wear out from all of the energy that they are releasing and the chemical/electrical activity that occurs while they are lit.
 

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