Well this may be a silly question, but one of my favorite fixtures were 24" and 36" single bulb, white, metal, with toggle switch and lamp cord fluorescent fixtures with starters.  I owned one new from an electrical place my Dad and I used to frequent in the earlier 1990's.  I forget what happened to it, but being that T12's are getting phased out...are these long gone too?  I see I can still get a strip light, but they seem to be T8 and electronic.  Do they still make T12 magnetic strip lights with starters or am I many years too late? When were they discontinued if so?  I bought my 36" one in 1992 and would put a black light bulb in it for Halloween :-) I wish I still had it!! Thanks guys! :-)

We still have Switch Start strips available side by side with the T5 electronic, but they are low demand - and not because of being phased out but because people are hearing loads of BS about how T5 is good so they buy the T5 ones

Some of those are only T8 as they have sockets too short to fit a T12 (it'll push against the fixture, the starter's head etc). some can have a T12

i have 3 1x40W T12 ones made as late as 2004 (date on ballast) (i am using them with T8 anyway) but i know that today the company makes a different strip under the same model name instead (differnces are - it is slimmer, thinner metal, short T8 only sockets, and starter is awfully placed behind the lamp ends instead of it's rightfull place on the side of the strip like in the older ones)

Today perhaps the only T12 compatible ones are the cheapies from China, but their availability is unpredictable (one day they will be in stock, another day the T8 only ones), and quality is unpredictable too - I seen ones with magnetic ballasts go failing and short circuiting just like if they were electronic

Mike,

I have a 36" single strip that is preheat. Since I could not find any in the stores, I built my own. I bought the ballast from eBay, the starter socket from an electrical supply store and the lamp and strip from a local hardware store. I stripped out the included (electronic) ballast and installed the preheat ballast. To complete the job, I wired in a lamp cord with appropriate plug. If you want, you can do the same, and be as fancy as you wish with a switch. Mine does not, however, have a switch.

Like Ash mentionned, my strip has the starter on the side, not under the lamp end.

Since you are pretty much out of luck on finding one ready made in stores, then this may be an acceptable substitute.

By the way, your question might be slightly silly at electrical supply stores where they push electronic junk, but here on LG, it is very legitimate and a true concern for us lighting fans.

For European market are made only T8, T12 lamps do not meet the minimum efficacy standards.
Most of the present production is indeed electronic, but some magnetic are still offered. But they are usually more expensive than the electronic, mainly because overally more robust design, as those I've seen are intended for wet locations (so include lamp cover,...).

Installing a magnetic ballast inside a fixture that includes an electronic ballast as standard, may distroy/melt the fixture, as the materials that are used for the fixture building might not optimized for the higher temperatures of the magnetic ballast, as electronic ballast produces considerably less heat.

Thanks guys! :-). I found these, would they happen to be magnetic and with starter do you think?  Building one could be fun though and a learning experience for me! I would love to obtain someday a regular warm white preferably sylvania, a black light, and maybe if lucky a vintage duro light power twist 24" for it! :-) and a metal can starter!  Hopefully it is magnetic ballast, I wonder of there is such thing as electronic preheat, I would think that's not possible, so this must be magnetic since it early states Lithonia s120PH, preheat?  

 Here is what I found! - http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P0FR76/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/190-4730210-9855039

@Mike: The question is, what do you mean by "electronic preheat".
Electronic ballasts utilize the resonant start topology: The lamp is across an LC resonant circuit, what build up high voltage in the starting phase. This is the most reliable method to ignite the arc if I could say. It start them even with cold electrodes, what cause quite extra wear.

Therefore they do not need any "kick" switch, so no starter.

Now to prevent the extra wear, the lamps should not be ignited without first heating the electrodes to the emission temperature. With (magnetic) preheat this is the second function of the starter (by closing for some time it let the ballast short circuit current to heat up the electrodes), but the filament temperature after first such starter cycle is very frequently too low. In magnetic preheats this frequently mean the arc is not established, so another starter cycle. And these cycles repeat, till the electrode temperature reach the temperature required to sustain the arc in the preheat ballast circuit.
But as the resonance voltage of the electronic ballast is high enough to strike even cold lamp, the lamp would ignite on the first starter open, when the electrodes are not yet warm enough, so still quite a lot of the wear. So the starter won't be able to help to prolong the cycle life, therefore it is not used at all, so you won't find any electronic ballast using the traditional starter.

By the way even in the magnetic preheat circuit the electrode temperature is usually below the one needed for wear-less ignition, but the preheat design aim was mainly to start the lamp, the related wear was assumed as acceptable for the expected long hours burning time per switching cycle.


What is used with electronic ballasts is an arrangement, what reduces the voltage across the tube below the ignition one, while let the current to flow through filaments (either by the PTC in the simplest, or elevated frequency in the more complex ballasts). After defined time sufficient for the electrodes to reach the required temperature, that device deengage and let the ballast ignite the lamp by the resonance (the PTC heat up and so switch OFF and the ballast is let to oscillate on the resonant frequency, the frequency sweep down through the resonance towards the operating one).
So these provide the "preheat" before lamp ignition and are classified either as "programmed start" (mainly in the US) or as "with electrode preheat".

Hey thanks alot guys for the explanations!  I understand now how electronic can preheat the electrodes.  I guess what I truly want is a magnetic ballasted with starter can preheat fixture and am now pretty darn sure these lithonia are that.  I found a picture in the gallery of a Lithonia S120PH which is the one that can be had for about $10 online of you search directly for it, and he bought 8 of them.  He was kind enough to show the other side...which does not shown in any of the advertisements, and sure enough on the side is a plastic starter can!  So I would assume its magnetic ballast and I'm very happy about this.  It won't rival the quality of a home built with your choice of high quality ballast and all but it will do the job for me! If I do get it and the 3 bulbs I want, I will put a cord and toggle switch on it and snap pictures for here!  I was at the mall today and in a BonTon store bathroom, they had U shaped, 24" T12, and T8 electronic fixtures all together and I got some very good pictures!  It was a private restroom so I did not have to worry of anyone thinking I was nuts or weird for havig a camera out LoL!! As soon as I get on the desktop in the next few days I will post them to my album!

There is however a thing you can try : Get a T8 strip with short sockets. And buy separately longer sockets that put the lamp farter away from the fixture so that T12 fits. (you can probably order them from the US)

Hi Mike,

Others may have already answered this (I didn't read the whole thread), but T12s are not all being phased out. Many are still available, so long live T12! You should have no problem finding T12 lamps for any fixtures you may find.

The Amazon link you provided does appear to be for a T12 preheat striplight judging by the item code. If you're feeling lucky, buy one and see what you get! However, I wouldn't be surprised if you actually get an electronic T8 fixture even though it is listed as preheat T12. Even if it is, you can convert it to T12 preheat. Myself and many others here will gladly help you do that if you choose!

-Nelson

Beware when shopping online.  Some fixtures that appear to contain magnetic ballasts based on the description may actually include electronic ballasts.  Many manufacturers are moving away from magnetic, but the specs don't always get updated when they should.  In the event that you receive an electronic ballast, you'll probably will be able swap it out with magnetic preheat easily enough provided the fixture has not been redesigned otherwise.  If you're lucky, the necessary knockouts will still be there.

Thanks so much guys!!  I just ran into a furnace issue and had to research how to fix it, luckily it looks like it will cost under $100 if I DIY so after I get through that in next week or two it may be a bit before I do it but I may search that particular fixture and call the places or just try it with amazon.  You are exactly right on with the switcheroo's they make!  I ordered something else specifically because i wanted that exact model and sure enough they sent me the new "updated" version which is not what I wanted!  It was a discontinued watch and they said they happily updated...not good for me LoL!  So I will heed your advice as I suppose that could happen with lighting too.  Thank you!  If it does turn out to be electronic It will be a nice swap and I will research here/ask for help! 

I wanted to express my condolences for the fella here that passed away, I got the email today about him, he is just about my age too, I'm 30.  I will keep his family and friends in my prayers, I am very sorry, it's terrible.  I never got to meet him but he sounded to be a wonderful fella.  Life really sucks sometimes :-(

On way back from small 3 day vacation I passed the road that had what I suspected were multiple SOX lamps that I had meant to return to visit this past summer and promise I will this winter and did not see them however I DID SEE 2 day LIT vintage 4 bulb possibly VHO OLD looking fluorescent parking lot fixtures very similar but not as pretty as the abandoned non functional one I recently added to my gallery that I pass on the way to work! I never saw one lit I was so excited but didn't get to stop!  I plan to make a November trip back 45 min away and photo them day burning and night burning as carefully as I can, video too to post here.  The wife works 3rds so on a day off (I work 2nds) when she goes in at 7pm I will have lots of free time to do this and get some nice shots for us on here!! :-)