T8 vs. T12 Fluorescent Lamps - What's the Difference?

T8 vs. T12 Fluorescent Lamps - What's the Difference? - rapidstart_12

Рет қаралды 11,522

Жыл бұрын

What's the difference between T8 and T12 fluorescent lamps? Well, you have clicked on the right video. I will compare and contrast F40T12 and F32T8 fluorescent lamps, including diameter, wattage/electrical differences, and bases. After watching, you will be in the know of the difference between T8 and T12 lamps.
This video is for ‪@zacharykorbet9690‬
GE F32T8/SP41/ECO Specs:
Shape: F32T8
Brand: General Electric
Technology: Fluorescent
Watts: 32w
Color: Specification Series Cool White (SP41)
Color Temperature: 4100k
CRI: 78
Lumen Output: 2800
Base Type: G13 Medium Bi-Pin
Application: 4ft T8 fluorescent fixtures of many styles, very versatile lamp.
Date of Manufacture: 2010
GE F40KB/ECO Specs:
Shape: F40T12
Brand: General Electric
Technology: Fluorescent
Watts: 40w
Color: Specification Series Warm White (SP30)
Color Temperature: 3000k
CRI: 70
Lumen Output: 3400
Base Type: G13 Medium Bi-Pin
Application: 4ft T12 fluorescent fixtures of many styles, very versatile lamp.
Date of Manufacture: 2000s
GE F15T8/SPX50 Specs:
Shape: F15T8
Brand: General Electric
Technology: Fluorescent
Watts: 15w
Color: Deluxe Specification Series Natural Daylight (SPX50)
Color Temperature: 5000k
CRI: 82
Lumen Output: Probably around 900-1000 lumens
Base Type: G13 Medium Bi-Pin
Application: Under cabinet lights, strip lights, vanity lights
Date of Manufacture: 1996
GE F15T12/WW Specs:
Shape: F15T12
Brand: General Electric
Technology: Fluorescent
Watts: 15w
Color: Halophosphate Warm White (WW)
Color Temperature: 3000k
CRI: 52
Lumen Output: 780
Base Type: G13 Medium Bi-Pin
Application: Under cabinet lights, strip lights, vanity lights
Date of Manufacture: 1984
Sylvania F6T5/CW Specs:
Shape: F6T5
Brand: Osram Sylvania
Technology: Fluorescent
Watts: 6w
Color: Halophosphate Cool White (CW)
Color Temperature: 4200k
CRI: 62
Lumen Output: 300
Base Type: G5 Mini Bi-Pin
Application: Under-cabinet lights, lanterns, strip lights
Date of Manufacture: 2000s
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Пікірлер: 25

@jawsstech 3 ай бұрын

This video was an excellent use of my time. it was short, concise, and most of all, RELEVANT. Thank you so much. I can confidently purchase my light fixture now.

@rs12official 3 ай бұрын

Glad I could help

@zacharykorbet9690 Жыл бұрын

Extremely helpful thank you so much👍

@rs12official Жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!

@jeepsblackpowderandlights4305 5 ай бұрын

The most efficient t12s are those 8foot watt miser 60watt 5900lumen 4100k bukbs. They are identical in wattage and color temp and lumens as the t8s. Which shows you that t12s even today can still be drastically improved. The old t12 60w bulbs used to only put out 3500lumens. The only diff is the t12 had crappy cold weather performance. Mine never get to max brightness in 15-40f temps. But my new T8s do

@surreal008 2 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@rs12official 2 ай бұрын

You’re welcome!

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

Another T8 and T12 lamp companion that's electrically and physically interchangeable is the F30T12 & F30T8, these lamps are both 30 watt and 36 inches. Either of these 3 foot lamps are not as common as the the 18, 24, 48 & 96 inch lamps (from what I've noticed) but they are worth an honorable mention.

@rs12official Жыл бұрын

Actually, there is a difference between those two. The F30T8 is a preheat-type lamp, meaning it has filaments that are designed to be driven at 9 volts or so on a preheat circuit. The F30T12 came later and is a rapid start type lamp, meaning it has filaments that are rated for around 3.5v and designed to be driven continuously. From what I can gather, it also has a lower lamp current and possibly a lower arc voltage. From what I understand, the F30T12 may cause some older preheat F30T8 ballasts to overheat, and an F30T8 may not light on a rapid start F30T12 ballast. There are trigger start (basically rapid start with a higher filament voltage) ballasts for F30T8s.

@MaryAnneMong Ай бұрын

Very helpful. Thank you.

@badreality2 10 ай бұрын

I think a T12 is able to run in a T8 ballast, if one cannot find a proper T12 ballast.

@rs12official 10 ай бұрын

It can be done, but the lamp will be under-driven and therefore DIM. Will absolutely work in a pinch though. I wouldn’t trust one on a magnetic T8 ballast though, only electronic.

@achannelwithaprofilepictur6253 6 ай бұрын

That considerably shortens the lifespan of the ballast.

@WeNeedSomeMusic 4 ай бұрын

Both have the same pins and in malaysia the preheat ballasts said "36/40w" That means t8 and t12 runs perfectly

@worldwidehidcollectorusa3519 Жыл бұрын

One thing to note about the F36T8 fluorescent tubes is that they do not start and run reliably on F40T12 rapid start ballasts, but they can be electrically interchanged on most preheat ballasts except for some 2 lamp lead-lag autotransformer ballasts where F40T12 tubes work well on those ballasts and a F36T8 fluorescent tube will only run reliably on one output of such F40T12 preheat fluorescent tube ballasts. Interestingly, some 2 lamp lead-lag autotransformer F40T12 preheat fluorescent tube ballasts will run F36T8 fluorescent tubes reliably on both outputs as in the case of my art deco 2 lamp F40T12 preheat fluorescent tube fixtures that feature very long ballasts and my WW2 fiberboard exposed ballast Mitchelite 2 lamp F40T12 preheat fluorescent tube shoplight fixture as well, which has a GE brick ballast. Lastly, pretty much all single lamp F40T12 preheat fluorescent tube ballasts will reliably start and run a F36T8 fluorescent tube as well. In Europe, there are also some special F32T8 fluorescent tubes that are designed to directly replace F36T8 and F40T12 fluorescent tubes over there such as the Philips TL-D 32w ECO. However, those tubes have an arc voltage drop that is substantially lower than that compared to F36T8 and F40T12 fluorescent tubes, which makes them cook older F36T8 and F40T12 preheat fluorescent tube ballasts that have very low arc voltage drop tolerances in the same way that North American F34T12 fluorescent tubes have been known to cook older F40T12 fluorescent tube ballasts with low arc voltage drop tolerances as well. The aforementioned European F32T8 fluorescent tubes that I mentioned have vastly different electrical specifications compared to a typical F32T8 fluorescent tube found in North America.

@coolrobuxgaming Жыл бұрын

The T8 is a little skinnier and efficient. Unfortunately I don’t have fluorescent light bulbs in my new apartment but there are a couple CFLs. My room has 2 daylight LED bulbs with a burned out CFL. The shadow casted from the burned out bulb looked a lot like a CFL so that’s my guess. Have no idea what the color temperature of the CFL bulb.

@damjansimic9420 3 ай бұрын

Tank you sooooo much

@rs12official 3 ай бұрын

You’re welcome

@elijoematingo2369 2 ай бұрын

You didn’t talk about the shunted type base for each, that could’ve summarized the entire video and also get to the point

@rs12official 2 ай бұрын

Do you mean the single-pin (Fa8) base used on the slimline lamps? Yeah, that would have been interesting to include, but too late now I guess. 🤷‍♂️

@ejonesss 9 ай бұрын

it isnt the bulb that determines instant or rapid start it is the ballast. most bulbs run on 600 volts but sometimes they can run on as little as 110 for ballasts that are a simple single sided transformer/choke. if you connect a 10000 volt neon transformer to the bulb it will light. the 2000 volts of a microwave transformer would work but it will draw so much current you will trip a breaker or blow a fuse. there was a time when them spiral cfl bulbs ran at higher voltage so they would be instant.

@rs12official 9 ай бұрын

Certain lamps are designed for different ballast starting modes. That's why you see lamps labeled "preheat," "rapid start," preheat-rapid start," etc. There are differences in the filament voltage, bases, etc. For example, the F20T12 lamp is a "preheat lamp." It has filaments rated for a higher voltage than the F30T12, which is a "rapid-start lamp." The F20T12 will not work on an ordinary rapid-start ballast design since its filaments need a higher voltage to get up to temperature, so rapid-start ballasts for F20T12 lamps output a higher voltage across the electrodes. The F40T12 works on rapid-start and preheat, not sure how that is, but it does. It is known as a "preheat-rapid start" lamp. However, the 34w energy-saving krypton versions do not play nice on preheat and are "rapid-start lamps."

@theonl1128 9 күн бұрын

Only the width is different and the thin ones give more Light. That's all.

@rs12official 9 күн бұрын

@@theonl1128 There are more differences than that. And the thin ones do not give more light, in fact they emit a little bit less for the same type of phosphor.