Mixing bulbs

[DonW]

I use a standard 2ft shop light fixture to light my sump. Both bulbs went out so I stuck in standard bulbs ( the 1.5" diameter ones) so that I could see in the mean time. Anyway I bought one actinic Hagen Marine-Glo t-8 bulb while I wait for the other. If I install the new t-8 20w with a standard t-12 20w the t-8 will not light. Is this normal? Do I have to wait a week for the other bulb for it to work or is the new t-8 bad. Both ends just turn yellow.

Thanks
Don

[ryan]

It is not actually the mixing the two that doesn't work, but it is putting the T8 into a regular shop fixture. The ballast in a normal fixture like that isn't going to drive the bulb. T8's require a rapid start ballast, or you could run them with an electronic ballast, but the regular magnetics don't have the startup power they need. If, however, your fixture came with an electronic or rapid/cold start ballast, then it might possibly be the bulb, or the ballast. Check to see which ballast you have, though, and you'll probably discover it's a standard mb. HTH