Which is better - Bi-pin or RDC? - tanTALK

mr belvedere · 06-05-2005, 07:07 PM

Which of these two lamp holder types is better, and why?

Neon Beach · 06-05-2005, 08:21 PM

I know the bi-pins can be a pain to change with one person, and can come loose in the holders after time, another pain. The RDC lamps (Recessed Double Contact) are soooooo easy to change alone and I'm sure they don't come loose with the up and down of the canopy.

JOHN @ URI · 06-06-2005, 07:59 AM

RDC are usually associated with an RS Style ballast, old magnetic type tar ballast.
They are currently used by Hex, & Tan America. No one else that I know of is currently using an RS style ballast. Puretan uses an RDC lamp with a Choke ballast system, only company I know of that does this.

Every other US manufacturer & all European companies use choke style systems which all use bi-pin lamps.

With Bipins you will have many more lamp choices!

Neon Beach · 06-06-2005, 08:03 AM

More choices, that's true, but the others are much easier to work with, I wish they were all RDC. Is there a performance advantage with either?

MATT A · 06-06-2005, 08:05 AM

Cough Cough LAZY

Neon Beach · 06-06-2005, 08:10 AM

Ahem, I only have one arm.

engfant · 06-06-2005, 08:51 AM

What IS the reasoning behind tan america's ways of building beds with this setup?

JOHN @ URI · 06-06-2005, 09:53 AM

The Performance advantage will have to go to the Choke style system with bi-pin lamps.

The old RS Style ballast & RDC sockets like to eat lamps. With Choke you can easily expect a 20% longer lamp life!

Of course each lamp acts different in each unit- But if you put a Sundash 232 with say a Midday Sun 5.0 RDC lamp by LSI in it you could expect about a good 600 hrs out of it. Put the same lamp Midday Sun 5.0 Bipin in a SunSource 32XP, at 235 Volts & you will easily get 750-800 hrs & about a 15-20% stronger 5.0 meter readings.

RS Ballast simply suck & should only be used in outdoor signs which they were originally intended for!

If they were truely good, don't you think that more than 2 manufacturers would still be using them?

Neon Beach · 06-06-2005, 10:01 AM

Well there ya go.

MATT A · 06-06-2005, 10:02 AM

I agree but still stand behind Tan America and thier units.

06-05-2005, 07:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
mr belvedere Mr. b Join Date: May 10 2005 Age: 54 Posts: 7,247 Rep Power: 68	Which of these two lamp holder types is better, and why?

06-05-2005, 08:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
Neon Beach Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 61 Posts: 38,594 Rep Power: 107	I know the bi-pins can be a pain to change with one person, and can come loose in the holders after time, another pain. The RDC lamps (Recessed Double Contact) are soooooo easy to change alone and I'm sure they don't come loose with the up and down of the canopy.

06-06-2005, 07:59 AM	#3 (permalink)
JOHN @ URI Lamp Geek Join Date: Dec 21 2001 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,913 Rep Power: 23	RDC are usually associated with an RS Style ballast, old magnetic type tar ballast. They are currently used by Hex, & Tan America. No one else that I know of is currently using an RS style ballast. Puretan uses an RDC lamp with a Choke ballast system, only company I know of that does this. Every other US manufacturer & all European companies use choke style systems which all use bi-pin lamps. With Bipins you will have many more lamp choices!

06-06-2005, 08:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
Neon Beach Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 61 Posts: 38,594 Rep Power: 107	More choices, that's true, but the others are much easier to work with, I wish they were all RDC. Is there a performance advantage with either?

06-06-2005, 08:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
MATT A I'm Banned Join Date: Sep 6 2004 Posts: 13,921 Rep Power: 0	Cough Cough LAZY

06-06-2005, 08:10 AM	#6 (permalink)
Neon Beach Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 61 Posts: 38,594 Rep Power: 107	Ahem, I only have one arm.

06-06-2005, 08:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
engfant Join Date: May 20 2003 Posts: 9,301 Rep Power: 29	What IS the reasoning behind tan america's ways of building beds with this setup?

06-06-2005, 09:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
JOHN @ URI Lamp Geek Join Date: Dec 21 2001 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,913 Rep Power: 23	The Performance advantage will have to go to the Choke style system with bi-pin lamps. The old RS Style ballast & RDC sockets like to eat lamps. With Choke you can easily expect a 20% longer lamp life! Of course each lamp acts different in each unit- But if you put a Sundash 232 with say a Midday Sun 5.0 RDC lamp by LSI in it you could expect about a good 600 hrs out of it. Put the same lamp Midday Sun 5.0 Bipin in a SunSource 32XP, at 235 Volts & you will easily get 750-800 hrs & about a 15-20% stronger 5.0 meter readings. RS Ballast simply suck & should only be used in outdoor signs which they were originally intended for! If they were truely good, don't you think that more than 2 manufacturers would still be using them?

06-06-2005, 10:01 AM	#9 (permalink)
Neon Beach Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 61 Posts: 38,594 Rep Power: 107	Well there ya go.

06-06-2005, 10:02 AM	#10 (permalink)
MATT A I'm Banned Join Date: Sep 6 2004 Posts: 13,921 Rep Power: 0	I agree but still stand behind Tan America and thier units.

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