Converting a Fixture from a T12 Ballast to a T8 Ballast. Congratulations! The old one has a brown and a gray wire that are attached to the tube sockets. Connect the ballast common red wire to the yellow pair of lampholder common wires. Note the ballast provides all of the information needed to replace it. Remove the fluorescent bulbs from the fixture. If you have a starter which is a little plastic or metal can that has to be replaced occasionally in your fixture, then your fixture is warm start. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published, . Remove... Cut the Old Ballast Wiring. Turn electricity off. Have searched all over but can't find answer. Remove the fluorescent tube by giving it a half-turn until its pins align with the slots in the sockets. In order for you to get all of the necessary information to replace your ballast, you need to remove it. Most T8 LED tubes do not need a ballast. Install the new ballast in the same way that you removed the old one. It will usually be warm start (pre-heat) which means there will be a starter with it, or you have to hold down a button to start the lamp(s). Your Ballast bypass and T8 Tube retrofitting are successful. Keystone ballasts are burned-in at the factory to ensure both exceptional performance and superior reliability. 1Ballast has a very important role in starting the lamp and protecting it from the high current. There are several manufacturers of ballasts. So, Now, locate the ballast on the existing fluorescent fixture. If your lamps don't have numbers, you can look at the ballast label to see what they should be. Press the starter down into the base, aligning its pins with the entry openings in the base, then Understand that the ballast is responsible for providing a fluorescent lamp with an initial spike of high voltage. 4. Remove these. Turn on the power at the circuit breaker box and then turn on the switch to your Circline fixture. Turn Off Electricity. If you are trying to replace the ballast in a Circline adapter, (a round plastic thing that screws into a standard light bulb socket and has a place to snap a Circline lamp in around the outside), it is not easily possible. For a ceiling fixture, make sure that you connect up the ground wire to preferably a dedicated ground screw (a small green screw usually marked GND) or if there is none, to one of the ballast mounting screws. So if you’re installing a fluorescent light in a walk-in freezer, this is not the most reliable ballast mechanism for the job. On the other hand, an LED driver converts the high voltage AC to low voltage DC. NOTE: There are two types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic. The type of existing lamps, the following are some examples. Before starting to … Since LED T8 tubes need a single-ended power supply. Connect the input hot and neutral wires (black and white) coming from the build to the output hot and neutral wires coming from the fixture. Below is the old Robertson Transformer Co. ballast from 1963. 1. Make a close cut and ensure that there are no longer than 2 inches of wires left. If it works, congratulations! Buying the Ballast . Now, strip out the colored insulation covering of the remaining wires. Halide Ballast has an automatic resetting thermal protector, which will turn off the ballast if the fixture or ballast becomes overheated. Now, install the T8 LED tube on the fixture. Take out your current bulbs and replace them with the new bulbs. It may also be hard to locate in the lamp. Connect each of the individual blue wires from the instant start ballast to each pair of the lampholder individual wires (red, blue and blue-white). 2. You could also try using a multimeter set to measure resistance. Flipping the light switch to the “off” position does not necessarily end the flow of … . The old ballast required starters. UltraStart® have the equivalent energy savings and convenience of instant start ballasts but with the long lamp life of a programmed start ballast. How to Replace a Fluorescent Light Ballast Remove the Bulbs and Fluorescent Light Fixture Cover. Cut Socket Wires. They are compatible with linear fluorescent tube ballasts. 45 Remove the magnetic ballast. If it does not light up, see "Troubleshooting. Ballast catalog no. Detach the wire nuts that hold the wires from the ballast to the ones from the ceiling by turning the wire nuts counterclockwise. Take photos, make a drawing - do not fail to record this information as it makes wiring a new ballast far easier. Replace the whole adapter unit. Replace the whole adapter unit. . Type B: These tubes are also known as ‘Ballast Bypass’ or ‘Direct wire’ T8 LED tubes. ", http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/pcbib.htm. A lighting system that does not meet ANSI guidelines for lamp current crest factor, lamp operating electrode voltage, lamp current, and ballast factor may also cause increased lamp-end darkening and reduced lamp life. You get this information by removing the fixture and measuring the ballast. These lamps are compatible with newer standard FCxT9 lamps. Thus, when buying a Type A T8 LED tube, do not forget to ask for a ballast compatibility sheet. Use push-in connectors or wire nuts to complete and secure the connection. Retrofit Wiring Diagrams. 2-Lamp Electronic Instant Start. Wiring diagrams and descriptions to help you understand fluorescent ballasts, A fluorescent tube circuit includes a ballast, wires, lampholders, and the tubes. For those of you using retrofit LED tubes, you'll want to note that, with fixtures that have instant-start ballasts, you'll need to replace the G13 socket (also known as "tombstone" or "lampholder") nearest where the power comes into the fixture to a non-shunted G13 socket. Look at the label of the ballast. It is a thin metal box … Instant Start ballasts provide approximately 10,000 starts before 50% of lamp failure. If the bulbs fail to light up, then 9 out of 10 times the ballast is culprit. I want to replace a rapid start flourescent ballast with an electronic instant start but the new ballast has fewer wires than the old one. For more information see http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/pcbib.htm. Remove the case, lamp, and any cover that prevents you from reaching the ballast. Ballast gets very hot, so wait a few minutes before you work on florescent light fixtures that have been turned on for a while. Their online catalog is the best out there and they make the largest variety of ballasts on the market. You can go to Home Depot or Lowes and see if they have the ballast you need, but I recommend looking it up on the internet first. Albeit, not knowing (and following) the basics of electrical connections, wiring, and circuitry may lead you into a ‘shocking situation’ (for real)! What kind of ballast your fixture has: The types that are most often used with Circline fixtures are Pre-Heat (warm-start), Instant Start and Rapid-Start. Now for the moment of truth! So, locate the circuit breaker switch that provides power to the area where you will carry out the bypass and turn it off. Remove the ballast and wave it goodbye. Once you are confident about working with electrical wiring, sockets, and light fixture. What do I do? Type A: These are also known as ‘Plug and Play’ tube lights. Keystone offers fluorescent ballasts in a variety of case styles to power most standard lamps. Need of Ballast. Place a stepladder beneath the light fixture, if necessary. Turn on the mains power supply. Screw the electronic ballast into the fixture, in … Snip the old fluorescent ballast wiring several inches … The ballast on a desk or floor lamp may not be standard, so a replacement may be hard to get. Preheat Start ballasts require a starter (usually built-in) to establish the circuit through the ballast and pre-heat the lamp filaments. Once the light is on, the ballast acts as a current regulator. Recommended troubleshooting sequence: Problem Check Corrective Action Lamps do not start and known “good” replacement lamp does not start Notes: This is applicable for 2-lamp T12 rapid start to a 2-lamp electronic T8. Match Replacement Ballast Wiring to Original Ballast Wiring. So, you only have to connect the input wires to one side of the output hot and neutral wires. Remove the case, lamp, and any cover that prevents you from reaching the ballast. To install a new starter, Select the right starter for your fluorescent light fixture - see the FS- starter guide we give below in table form. Our latest electronic ballasts use a compact form factor design, enabling fixture manufacturers to design sleeker, more streamline fixtures. … Installing them means you will have to remove an existing fluorescent tube ballast. So, if you are going to install a T8 LED tube light, it will require a ballast bypass unless you choose a ballast compatible T8 LED tube. Replacement ballast should always match in voltage, wattage and brand. The new ballast says I can use 3 or 4 tubes. in 2018, Alan Cornwell wrote this question: I have a modern fluorescent tube with no starter. Wrong ballast types can cause fires or shorts. Turn off the power. It will be marked as Rapid-start, Instant-start or maybe even Trigger-start. Switch on the LED tube light and check if it is working. Before you go to the trouble of replacing the ballast, you should determine if a bad ballast is indeed the likely cause of the problem. Once you have found the ballast, remove the wire nuts or cut off the crimp nuts. The starter can will usually be poking out under the cover (if there is one) where the lamps are. . … Wiring a T12 Fluorescent Fixture for a T8 Energy Efficient Ballast. Use the wire cutters to cut the wires connected to the sockets. Ensure to strip about 1 inch of the wires. On the other hand, an. GE UltraStart Proline Electronic Ballast, 120/277 Volt Program/Rapid Start Ballast, Normal Ballast Factor, Ballast for Fluorescent Light (1) or (2) Lamp T12 4.5 out of 5 stars 107 $16.45 $ 16 . Go to your breaker box and turn off the power for the area you’ll be working on. When the metallic strip of starter flips back or when the starter switch turns off, the ballast provides high voltage through the electrodes of the Fluorescent lamp. Cap the wires with wire nuts. Now remove the fixture. A rapid start ballast relies on a preheating method that keeps the mechanism always primed to instantly light the bulb when the switch is turned on. If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. Also try looking under the base of the lamp if it looks big enough. Pull the 2 sets of wires that would be attached to the lamps out of the holes they run through. 3. The problem with this type is that the lamp will have trouble turning on if it is sitting in sub 50-degree climates. UltraStart® provides greater than 100,000 starts. When you find the ballast you need on the internet, you can order it there, or if it is a fairly standard one, buy it at your local hardware store. LED tube light retrofitting involves installing an energy-saving LED tube light by replacing an existing T8 fluorescent tube. The tube lights that use a magnetic ballast will also have a starter. As I said earlier, if you are not comfortable with these things then get professional help. If an old T12 lamp magnetic ballast is replaced with a newer T8 lamp and electronic ballast, the colors will probably not match. Once you are confident about working with electrical wiring, sockets, and light fixture, Performing the following steps will allow a successful ballast bypass: Turning off the Mains Power supply will ensure that you won’t get an electric shock during the process. If it is in a can it will probably just lift out with a little force. Nonetheless. Turn off the electricity to the fixture at the power breaker box. I've replaced the tube but it still only lights at the end as if the starter has died. Type A+B: Also known as ‘Hybrid’ T8 LED tubes, Type A+B tubes work with or without a ballast. The one I recommend is Advance Transformer (http://www.advancetransformer.com). TR-30 416 This is a twin tube overhead kitchen light. Use the information you got earlier to find your ballast in the online catalog. Then, fix the new T8 fluorescent tube light, and that’s all. After cutting the wires providing input to the ballast, cut the neutral and hot wires that go out on the other side of the socket. Or if it is portable lamp, unplug it before continuing. that will help you understand the basics of the electrical wiring system. In any case, it will be held on by 1 or 2 screws. Most T8 tubes will have a hidden ballast, covered with a casing and resting behind the tube light. Nonetheless, if the existing fixture offers a shunted tombstone, you should replace it with a non-shunted variant. Now, locate the ballast on the existing fluorescent fixture. Once the light is on, the ballast acts as a current regulator. Pull the light diffuser off of the body of the … Ballast Wire Colors. If there is a "can" near the bottom try opening this up since the ballast is probably inside. Some older fixtures have FCxT10 lamps where x is 6, 8, 12, or 16. If your tube light uses a magnetic ballast, make sure to locate and remove the starter before moving on to the next step. The number on the lamp(s) in your fixture: This will probably be FC6T9, FC8T9, FC12T9, or FC16T9. NOTE: There are two types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic. Once you remove the tube and expose the ballast, cut the hot and neutral wires that supply input power. Make sure that you connect the wire nuts securely and that no bare wire shows from under them. Store Finder; ... Optanium 120/277-Volt 4-Lamp T8 Instant Start Electronic Fluorescent Replacement Ballast (217) Model# 520387 $ 20 98. I am using 3 36" 30 watt bulbs. The tube lights that use a magnetic ballast will also have a starter. The new one does not. Starter is used in magnetic ballast to generate high voltage for starting the ionization ; It opens after the bi-metallic contact gets heated up in few seconds and choke coil will generate high voltage pulse to start the ionization. The most important measurement is the distance between the center of each screw hole or slot on the ballast but write down all of the dimensions anyway. The connectors on the ends might be a little tight but they will fit. (as shown in the figure). Get free shipping on qualified Replacement Ballast Replacement Ballasts or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Lighting Department. Here is a guide that will help you understand the basics of the electrical wiring system. After cutting the wires providing input to the ballast, cut the neutral and hot wires that go out on the other side of the socket. You must also know that most T8 LED tubes need non-shunted tombstones (sockets). This is also written on the label of the ballast. Make sure that the wires that connect to the lamp(s) are through the appropriate holes so that they connect to their appropriate lamps. The advantage of this is that there are many more ballasts that you can order on the internet than hardware stores stock. If you like someone else, for instance Sylvania, theirs will work too. Using the wire cutters, cut both power (brown) and neutral (blue) wires coming into the fixture. A word of warning if your fixture is old, before 1979, you should call for a professional as your ballast probably contains highly toxic PCBs. If you did not do so earlier, make sure you have shut off the power for the fixture at the circuit breaker box. When the filaments have heated up, the ballast then provides a suitable voltage to the lamp. Some fixtures will have more than one type of lamp in them, so get all of the numbers. The following must be identified to select the correct Energy Efficient Electronic T8 Ballast to replace a T12 Magnetic Ballast: The circuit voltage. When replacing with a 4 lamp ballast, cap the fourth individual blue wire with a small wire connector. Optanium 120/277-Volt 4-Lamp T8 Instant Start Electronic Fluorescent Replacement Ballast Philips Advance Optanium high efficiency Philips Advance Optanium high efficiency electronic ballasts are engineered to optimize lighting performance and maximize energy savings. If you are trying to replace the ballast in a Circline adapter, (a round plastic thing that screws into a standard light bulb socket and has a place to snap a Circline lamp in around the outside), it is not easily possible. (Meaning that the tombstone should not show electrical Continuity.) Now that you have all of the information you need, see if you can get the replacement ballast. Since LED lights work on low DC voltage, they need a driver. 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