Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « on: August 31, 2023, 11:26:55 PM » Author: Maxim
I have an old Verilux desk lamp whose ballast and lamp have died. I would like to "retrofit" it with 2x 13W GX23 base lamps. To do so, what ballast would I need, and how would I go about wiring it? First time messing with fluorescent ballasts and such. Thanks!
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #1 on: September 09, 2023, 03:46:27 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
Since most GX23 base 2 pin PL13 CFL lamps have an internal starter, you will probably need to use a magnetic preheat CFL series choke ballast for these lamps. Since the magnetic preheat CFL series choke ballasts are more common, you will probably need to make a remote ballast box for this desk lamp because electronic ballasts are usually smaller than magnetic ballasts.
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DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #2 on: September 09, 2023, 04:22:17 PM » Author: Maxim
Thanks! Do you have any links/suggested items to purchase?
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #3 on: September 09, 2023, 04:24:45 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
This Advance ballast should be able to drive GX23 PL13 CFL lamps pretty well: https://www.ebay.com/itm/256142905552
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Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #4 on: September 09, 2023, 04:31:25 PM » Author: Maxim
Alright; so how would I wire each individual lamp holder? Presuming neutral wire to one end and phase(?) to the other end? And, to remotely ballast this, would I need to create another container, preferably attached to the desk lamp?
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #5 on: September 09, 2023, 04:37:18 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
You would probably need a container for these ballasts, but to wire these ballasts to the lampholder, you will only need to wire the ballast and lampholder in series with each other.
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DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #6 on: September 15, 2023, 08:50:42 PM » Author: Maxim
So, the came in this evening. It only has two black cables... how do I go about connecting it to the power source, the switch, and the lamp holders? Thanks so much!
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #7 on: September 15, 2023, 08:51:55 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
how many lampholders in the fixture?
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Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #8 on: September 15, 2023, 08:58:59 PM » Author: Maxim
Two, both GX23 base.
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #9 on: September 15, 2023, 08:59:34 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
In this case, you actually need a second ballast. Here is a link to a second identical ballast: https://www.ebay.com/itm/334836555779
« Last Edit: September 15, 2023, 09:02:25 PM by WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA »		Logged

Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #10 on: September 15, 2023, 09:01:34 PM » Author: Maxim
Noooooo.... So, how would I at least connect one lampholder for the time being? I'm used to ballasts having like 600000000000 wires each going to their respective place. Only two here...
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #11 on: September 15, 2023, 09:05:40 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
By the looks of it, it seems that one blue wire leads to the live output of one of the lampholders. Try connecting one ballast wire to one blue wire, the other ballast wire to the cord’s live wire, and then connecting one of the black wires opposite the blue wires to the cord’s neutral wire. If the lamp does not light, try disconnecting the previously connected blue wire from the ballast and try the other blue wire. Try this out and let me know if it runs a conventional PL13 CFL lamp. In addition, can I get a full view of the fixture with the lampholders and ballast chamber visible? For the ballasts that I recommended, here is a rough sketch of the wiring diagram: 120V————-—switch————ballast 1—————lamp 1———|                                           |                                                      |                                                    |                                                      |                                           |—-ballast 2—————lamp 2——|  |                                                                                               |  |                                                                                               |  | N——————————————————————————————|-|
« Last Edit: September 15, 2023, 09:21:14 PM by WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA »		Logged

Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #12 on: September 15, 2023, 09:24:50 PM » Author: Maxim
Trying the above steps now...
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #13 on: September 15, 2023, 09:25:49 PM » Author: Maxim
Here you go
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Collector of all kinds of lamps, gear, and fixtures.
My favorite lighting technologies at the moment are incandescent and mercury vapor, and my favorite Big 3 lighting brand of the late 20th century is GTE Sylvania.

About that Westinghouse Lifeguard disease, I think I've caught it. Thanks Eric!

	Re: Electronic Ballast for 2x 13W GX23 lamps « Reply #14 on: September 15, 2023, 09:26:30 PM » Author: WorldwideHIDCollectorUSA
I am not done with the wiring diagram yet. I will resend it once it is done since the original diagram was messed up.
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Desire to collect various light bulbs (especially HID), control gear, and fixtures from around the world.

DISCLAIMER: THE EXPERIMENTS THAT I CONDUCT INVOLVING UNUSUAL LAMP/BALLAST COMBINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES.