This can be done safely with some preparation and the right tools. The ballast on a desk or floor lamp may not be standard, so a replacement may be hard to get. Although changing a ballast is safer with the power off, sometimes it is impractical, such as in a crowded store or office space, and you must replace the ballast without cutting the power. The real cost of replacing a light ballast comes in the form of the work required to get the new ballast up and running with your light fixture. When the ballast fails, the bulb will flicker or fail to light. All ballasts will eventually fail, and in time you’ll find yourself needing to replace an LED lighting ballast for lamps that don’t technically require one. Step 3 – Turn Off Power. Step 2 – Buy Ballast. The real cost of replacing a light ballast comes in the form of the work required to get the new ballast up and running with your light fixture. As your fluorescent lights age, they can begin to flicker or make a humming sound. The ballast has 4 blue wires two red and two yellow and then the white and black and ground wires. Light Fixtures with Two Ballasts. The colors of the old and new ballasts do not match, making this a little confusing. Lighting; Related Posts Feb 13 Lighting for Your Home or Office. These ballasts are typically used with conventional series-wired rapid start systems. Although changing a ballast is safer with the power off, sometimes it is impractical, such as in a crowded store or office space, and you must replace the ballast without cutting the power. Cheaper ballasts are likely to need more rewiring than a fitting that has a branded ballast in it. How to Install Lighting Ballasts. If you want, you can push new insulation through the ceiling hole before reinserting the can. How to Replace a Lamp Ballast. Most T8 LED tubes do not need a ballast. The diameter for the T12 is 38mm and 25mm for the T8. Purchase a T8 ballast at a home improvement retailer. Screw in the new ballast, replace the metal cover, install the fluorescent bulbs, and replace the light cover. Replace 3 Lamp Instant Start Ballast with 4 Lamp Instant Start. Replacing a fluorescent ballast is not a terribly difficult job. Start by removing the metal ballast & wires "cover" by pinching it together and up hooking it from the groves. When the ballast fails, the bulb will flicker or fail to light. Don't be spooked by the complexity. Know which tools you'll need & how you can replace it easily. Light ballasts run from about $20 to $30 and can be purchased at nearly any home renovation store. The most detailed guides for How To Replace A Fluorescent Ballast are provided in this page. I tried replacing the bulbs and it continued to do the same thing. Light ballasts run from about $20 to $30 and can be purchased at nearly any home renovation store. The wiring connections and colors match up. Replacing your ballast is quite simple and should only require about 10-15 minutes of your time. Support the new ballast while you unscrew the cap nut that holds the old ballast to the base of the light fixture. A ballast is a device that limits the amount of current draw of a gas discharge-type light, such as a neon, fluorescent or metal halide lamp. They are compatible with linear fluorescent tube ballasts. Here are two of the most common: Standard T10/T12 Electronic Ballasts. A 4 lamp fixture with two rapid start ballasts can be replaced with one 4 lamp instant start ballast. Attach the can wires to 120VAC, bypassing the ballast, which should be completely disconnected. Sometimes the old ballast will be shorter or longer. Than remove the 10mm nuts 1 holding each ballast in place, Note: They will be a bit heavy and if … Although simpler and cheaper, magnetic ballasts tend to flicker and hum, and they consume excessive amounts of energy to operate. It can be a rats nest of wires. The average cost of the replacement ballast is likely $20 to $35 for just the ballast itself. There are three types of T8 LED tubes: Type A: These are also known as ‘Plug and Play’ tube lights. If you are going to replace fluorescent light with LED lighting you must take into consideration the color temperature. Replace the light fixture cover plate. As seen below, connecting the 4 lamp instant start ballast to the four lamps can be a bit confusing. Seen below, connecting the 4 lamp instant start ballast with 4 lamp fixture with parallel... To light by pinching it together and up hooking it from the groves new ballasts do not match, this. Red, blue and yellow wires near each ballast ballast itself cheaper ballasts are typically used with conventional rapid! Old and new ballasts do not match, making this a little confusing fluorescent bulbs, and they consume amounts! 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Ballast itself to $ 30 and can be a bit confusing hum, and they consume amounts!