Dimmable ballasts with non-dimmable CFL's?

[jgeverin172]

Thanks for you time,

I need to order some samples for testing (work-related). I need to order some particular brands of dimmable ballasts, and I obviously need to order some T8 fluorescent tubes and other 4-pin CFL's, to test some dimming circuitry.

I understand a stand-alone CFL bulb can be classified as dimmable or non-dimmable. The internal difference in these two types is the dimmable CFL contains a ballast circuit inside that allows for dimming. Whereas non-dimmable CFL's have no such ballast.

But if I wire a dedicated dimmable ballast unit with non-dimmable CFL bulbs (4-pin models), could the dimming still work? I'm including a dimmable ballast unit to work with CFL bulbs, whether the CFL bulbs have their own dimming ballast or not. Could the dimming work because I am adding the dimming ballast myself?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

[Antiphon]

You must not connect a ballast (dimming or otherwise) to a lamp that already has a ballast in it.

If this isn't what you mean then it will probably work.