[musicman980]

I just bought a new T8 fluorescent light and it fits perfectly in my T12 fixture, it was working for a an hour and now its flickering like crazy. Is it a T8 bulb to T12 fixture compatibility problem or is it just a bad bulb?

 

[fishluv]

sounds like bad bulb i have 2 t8s in a t12 fixture no prob - twist it around a bit which im sure you have - or it coulkd be the do dads that you screw in lol i dont know what they are called they are like a fuse or something a little smaller than an old roll canister for 35 mm film

 

[musicman980]

Yeah the bulb is snug, it fits perfectly. Is it normal that a store takes back defective merchandise? Cause I'd like to return it and get a T5 setup.

 

[AZDesertRat]

While the end caps are the same, T8 bulbs require an instant start electronic ballast to work properly. I found this out when I replaced all the T12 bulbs in my kitchen laundry room and garage. A 1 or 2x32w T8 electronic ballast is $15 at Lowes or HD. The wiring is the same as the magnetic ballast so its a simple swap.