Iota vs. Thin-Lite ballasts

[RandomJoe]

I have a couple of 120V F32T8 two-tube fluorescent lights I still haven't gotten around to installing anywhere (paid $5 each for four of them at a swap-meet!) and thought about converting one to 12V use, since they seem to give the best light output per watt.  Looking at the online store I've been using, I found they had IOTA or Thin-Lite ballasts.  I was a bit put off by the IOTA DC ballast, at $45 - for ONE TUBE, so I need two of the things!  Then I noticed Thin-Lite makes a single-F32T8 fixture, and the replacement ballast for that is only $25, much more palatable.

Anyone had experience with both brands, and have an opinion whether one is better than the other?  Or, more particularly, if the IOTA is really worth twice the price?

And a bonus question - is it even worth it to convert one of the fixtures?  I do have inverters, and could run one that way.  I just don't care for the extra 300mA or so I lose to the inverter itself.  But if I can get substantially more light output with the 120V ballast, I would probably wind up sticking with it.  (Can't say that would be the case, but I certainly get better light faster from my 120V fluorescent lamps than I do from any of the 12V gear, which includes a Thin-Lite 16W two-tube fixture.)

[scottsAI]

RandomJoe,

Based on cost a small inverter is a good way to go.

eBay several 100w inverters for $10 including shipping.

Power is 110ma with 12v in or 1.4 watt,

Switch the 12v side, no stand by losses, running 1w loss is not much.

Small inverters with one or two CFL works well.

Best deal was two 75w for $13 shipped, guy is out, wish I had bought more than 2.

Small inverters do not have fan, when running for a while they get warm.

Consider adding larger heatsinks if not too much trouble. NO fans.

Have fun,

Scott.

[JW]

I have used the Iota 'high-watt' ballasts.

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/11/19/1741/4549

This is a link to my diary, I used them on my boat. Seems to me different size bulbs have a direct effect on what the ballast will pull off of the batt. smaller bulb the less the draw, that the ballast makes.

 Im lighting up some(2) 5ft t8 bulbs, 40w, I have two ballasts, one for each bulb. I use separate switches to turn each on to conserve power, if I feel like only running one. The bulbs do light really well.

The bulb you intend to run would work fine, and not pull that much power. Just take special care when you make your bulb fixture. If you can isolate the power leads(to the bulb) behind a grounding plane its best. This helps to prevent arc-swirl in the bulbs.

JW  

[RandomJoe]

Actually, I have full fixtures, so nothing to fabricate.  They are surface-mount, with a wrap-around lens over the bulbs.  Look pretty nice, too.  So all I'd need is to replace the ballast, add some switches, and enjoy.

A bit unwieldy as a "portable" light, but sure can't be beat by any of the other lighting fixtures I have so far.  If I need to really light something up, this would do it handily!

I had read before that grounding could be an issue, especially when starting - some setups require the ground to help draw the initial arc.  I'm wondering if that's the issue I have with my kitchen lights.  I just upgraded them to T8s and there's a just-noticeable half-second delay between flipping the switch and the bulbs actually lighting.  No flickering, noise or hard starting, just that brief delay.  These other fixtures I have don't exhibit that at all - instant on for them.  Only difference I see is the "tombstones" for my kitchen lights are considerably taller, so the thinner T8 bulb sits a fair ways off the metal casing of the fixture.

[JW]

I made my fixture from some polycarbonate tube. The problem that I encountered was running one of the leads to energize the bulb along its side. Thats what I was reffering to, with arc-swirl.

Here's a pic of a bulb that I cranked up just about 10 minute's ago.

This bulb is pretty bright, it has no fixture. If the lead wires are about evenly spaced between ends, a fixture really does not matter. But, if one of the lead wires travels across the bulb, and its the wrong one, it can cause problems. Realy does not matter what type of ballast it is AC or DC. This bulb is energized by only one wire at each end. The two brass leads are paralleled(soldered)together with one of the 'white' output wire's from the ballast. I have found that if a wire must run along the bulb its better for it to be the 'long white wire' 'of the two' from the ballast to the bulb. Red and Black go to the battery.

This is another one of my lights, you'll notice the wire running the length of the bulb. This seems to work ok, with the DC ballasts, as long as some sort of polarity is observed.?

JW

[photovoltaics]

The IOTA 12 volt d.c. inverter/ballast that fires and runs a single 32 watt F32T8 tube is the 2D12-1-32. The ballast is canned, potted and is a "push-pull" type which has Radio Frequency Interference suppression. The Thin-Lite 12 volt d.c. inverter/ballast that fires and runs a single 32 watt F32T8 tube is the OIB - 153. It is an open-board configuration. It all depends on how much room you have in your installation (keep the output wires as short as possible) and whether or not you need a "P" ballast. The Thin-Lite ballast is also available in a "P" configuration for about $ 6.00 more. The IOTA ballasts are a little more aggressive (and consume a little more power) when trying to fire a tube in cold weather or a difficult to fire tube.