Now, locate the ballast on the existing fluorescent fixture. 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. Snip the old fluorescent ballast wiring several inches … If it does not light up, see "Troubleshooting. The ballast on a desk or floor lamp may not be standard, so a replacement may be hard to get. : CAT. Albeit, not knowing (and following) the basics of electrical connections, wiring, and circuitry may lead you into a ‘shocking situation’ (for real)! Most. Their online catalog is the best out there and they make the largest variety of ballasts on the market. Pull the light diffuser off of the body of the … The connectors on the ends might be a little tight but they will fit. On the other hand, an. Nonetheless. Remount the fixture making sure no wires get caught under it, and reinstall the lamps and the cover. Need of Ballast. When the filaments have heated up, the ballast then provides a suitable voltage to the lamp. ", http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/pcbib.htm. If you did not do so earlier, make sure you have shut off the power for the fixture at the circuit breaker box. So, locate the circuit breaker switch that provides power to the area where you will carry out the bypass and turn it off. Make a close cut and ensure that there are no longer than 2 inches of wires left. 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. 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. (Meaning that the tombstone should not show electrical Continuity.) This is a twin tube overhead kitchen light. The old one has a brown and a gray wire that are attached to the tube sockets. 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. Keystone ballasts are burned-in at the factory to ensure both exceptional performance and superior reliability. Once the light is on, the ballast acts as a current regulator. 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 . 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. If it is in a can it will probably just lift out with a little force. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published, . The new one does not. Detach the wire nuts that hold the wires from the ballast to the ones from the ceiling by turning the wire nuts counterclockwise. 2-Lamp Electronic Instant Start. Our latest electronic ballasts use a compact form factor design, enabling fixture manufacturers to design sleeker, more streamline fixtures. Press the starter down into the base, aligning its pins with the entry openings in the base, then Turn off the power. The new ballast says I can use 3 or 4 tubes. If it is in a standard home it will probably be 120. Nonetheless, if the existing fixture offers a shunted tombstone, you should replace it with a non-shunted variant. Note the ballast provides all of the information needed to replace it. Cut Socket Wires. Use the information you got earlier to find your ballast in the online catalog. . What do I do? Have searched all over but can't find answer. Remove these. NOTE: There are two types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic. Otherwise it is probably screwed in, so find and remove the screws. 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. Remove... Cut the Old Ballast Wiring. NOTE: There are two types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic. The voltage of the fixture: This will probably be 110 or 220. Remove the magnetic ballast. You must also know that most T8 LED tubes need non-shunted tombstones (sockets). I bought a GE T8 G8 432 ballast to replace three GE 6G3706 ballast. It is a thin metal box … As I said earlier, if you are not comfortable with these things then get professional help. . If your tube light uses a magnetic ballast, make sure to locate and remove the starter before moving on to the next step. If there is a "can" near the bottom try opening this up since the ballast is probably inside. 1. Look at the label of the ballast. Since LED lights work on low DC voltage, they need a driver. If the bulbs fail to light up, then 9 out of 10 times the ballast is culprit. It may also be hard to locate in the lamp. The ballast will either be on the top of this fixture or on the bottom. Now that you have all of the information you need, see if you can get the replacement ballast. If a ballast is replaced with the exact same type of ballast, the wire colors usually match. 1Ballast has a very important role in starting the lamp and protecting it from the high current. 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. So, you only have to connect the input wires to one side of the output hot and neutral wires. The starter can will usually be poking out under the cover (if there is one) where the lamps are. Remove the case, lamp, and any cover that prevents you from reaching the ballast. Recommended troubleshooting sequence: Problem Check Corrective Action Lamps do not start and known “good” replacement lamp does not start Wiring a T12 Fluorescent Fixture for a T8 Energy Efficient Ballast. in 2018, Alan Cornwell wrote this question: I have a modern fluorescent tube with no starter. Turn on the mains power supply. Go to your breaker box and turn off the power for the area you’ll be working on. I am using 3 36" 30 watt bulbs. I've replaced the tube but it still only lights at the end as if the starter has died. You could also try using a multimeter set to measure resistance. The ballast on a desk or floor lamp may not be standard, so a replacement may be hard to get. The tube lights that use a magnetic ballast will also have a starter. The one I recommend is Advance Transformer (http://www.advancetransformer.com). Remove the ballast and wave it goodbye. Screw the electronic ballast into the fixture, in … Pull the 2 sets of wires that would be attached to the lamps out of the holes they run through. Remove the fluorescent bulbs from the fixture. If your lamps don't have numbers, you can look at the ballast label to see what they should be. … Then, fix the new T8 fluorescent tube light, and that’s all. . Congratulations! Once you remove the tube and expose the ballast, cut the hot and neutral wires that supply input power. Remove the bulbs and covers, and locate the ballast inside the lighting fixture. 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. Now for the moment of truth! Some fixtures will have more than one type of lamp in them, so get all of the numbers. Here is a guide that will help you understand the basics of the electrical wiring system. Since LED lights work on low DC voltage, they need a driver. 4. Wrong ballast types can cause fires or shorts. Most T8 tubes will have a hidden ballast, covered with a casing and resting behind the tube light. Use push-in connectors or wire nuts to complete and secure the connection. 45 Ballast gets very hot, so wait a few minutes before you work on florescent light fixtures that have been turned on for a while. 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). Buying the Ballast . Ballast catalog no. Type B: These tubes are also known as ‘Ballast Bypass’ or ‘Direct wire’ T8 LED tubes. If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. Replace the whole adapter unit. Now remove the fixture. If it works, congratulations! Keystone offers fluorescent ballasts in a variety of case styles to power most standard lamps. Usually you will simply match the number of the old starter, or use an FS-U universal replacement starter. Ballast Wire Colors. Some older fixtures have FCxT10 lamps where x is 6, 8, 12, or 16. Turning off the Mains Power supply will ensure that you won’t get an electric shock during the process. 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. (as shown in the figure). Place a stepladder beneath the light fixture, if necessary. Turn Off Electricity. Once you are confident about working with electrical wiring, sockets, and light fixture. The advantage of this is that there are many more ballasts that you can order on the internet than hardware stores stock. 1. Take out your current bulbs and replace them with the new bulbs. Replace the whole adapter unit. Before starting to … 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. These lamps are compatible with newer standard FCxT9 lamps. Make sure that the wires that connect to the lamp(s) are through the appropriate holes so that they connect to their appropriate lamps. Get free shipping on qualified Replacement Ballast Replacement Ballasts or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Lighting Department. The problem with this type is that the lamp will have trouble turning on if it is sitting in sub 50-degree climates. If an old T12 lamp magnetic ballast is replaced with a newer T8 lamp and electronic ballast, the colors will probably not match. Caution: Disconnect power before servicing or changing lamps. TR-30 416 Notes: This is applicable for 2-lamp T12 rapid start to a 2-lamp electronic T8. So, Now, locate the ballast on the existing fluorescent fixture. Preheat Start ballasts require a starter (usually built-in) to establish the circuit through the ballast and pre-heat the lamp filaments. Instant Start ballasts provide approximately 10,000 starts before 50% of lamp failure. … How to Replace a Fluorescent Light Ballast Remove the Bulbs and Fluorescent Light Fixture Cover. Once you have found the ballast, remove the wire nuts or cut off the crimp nuts. 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. Install the new ballast in the same way that you removed the old one. that will help you understand the basics of the electrical wiring system. You get this information by removing the fixture and measuring the ballast. Cap the wires with wire nuts. Turn off the electricity to the fixture at the power breaker box. Take photos, make a drawing - do not fail to record this information as it makes wiring a new ballast far easier. Turn on the power at the circuit breaker box and then turn on the switch to your Circline fixture. Since LED T8 tubes need a single-ended power supply. 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. There are several ways you can do this. For more information see http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/pcbib.htm. The number on the lamp(s) in your fixture: This will probably be FC6T9, FC8T9, FC12T9, or FC16T9. 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. Remove the fluorescent tube by giving it a half-turn until its pins align with the slots in the sockets. 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. Make sure that you connect the wire nuts securely and that no bare wire shows from under them. In order for you to get all of the necessary information to replace your ballast, you need to remove it. The question is, I h … read more Ensure to strip about 1 inch of the wires. UltraStart® provides greater than 100,000 starts. Match Replacement Ballast Wiring to Original Ballast Wiring. Type A: These are also known as ‘Plug and Play’ tube lights. 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. 2. Most T8 LED tubes do not need a ballast. They are compatible with linear fluorescent tube ballasts. 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. Thus, when buying a Type A T8 LED tube, do not forget to ask for a ballast compatibility sheet. Installing them means you will have to remove an existing fluorescent tube ballast. Switch on the LED tube light and check if it is working. When replacing with a 4 lamp ballast, cap the fourth individual blue wire with a small wire connector. 3. 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). It will be marked as Rapid-start, Instant-start or maybe even Trigger-start. ballasts and most instant-start ballasts do not heat the electrodes once the lamps are operating to reduce lighting system power. 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. Turn electricity off. Understand that the ballast is responsible for providing a fluorescent lamp with an initial spike of high voltage. Connect the ballast common red wire to the yellow pair of lampholder common wires. 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. 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. UltraStart® have the equivalent energy savings and convenience of instant start ballasts but with the long lamp life of a programmed start ballast. 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. Converting a Fixture from a T12 Ballast to a T8 Ballast. Retrofit Wiring Diagrams. Type A+B: Also known as ‘Hybrid’ T8 LED tubes, Type A+B tubes work with or without a ballast. This is also written on the label of the ballast. Replacement ballast should always match in voltage, wattage and brand. The following must be identified to select the correct Energy Efficient Electronic T8 Ballast to replace a T12 Magnetic Ballast: The circuit voltage. Or if it is portable lamp, unplug it before continuing. (Meaning that the tombstone should not show electrical Continuity.) The type of existing lamps, the following are some examples. Remove the case, lamp, and any cover that prevents you from reaching the ballast. In general, the hot wires are black, and the neutral wires are white. 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. Below is the old Robertson Transformer Co. ballast from 1963. Flipping the light switch to the “off” position does not necessarily end the flow of … Now, you must take out the ballast by unscrewing it. Also try looking under the base of the lamp if it looks big enough. 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. Use the wire cutters to cut the wires connected to the sockets. There are several manufacturers of ballasts. What the form factor of your ballast is: This means what kind of box it is in. 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. If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. Unplug the fixture or turn off the power at the main panel. Now, strip out the colored insulation covering of the remaining wires. Wiring diagrams and descriptions to help you understand fluorescent ballasts, A fluorescent tube circuit includes a ballast, wires, lampholders, and the tubes. If you like someone else, for instance Sylvania, theirs will work too. LED tube light retrofitting involves installing an energy-saving LED tube light by replacing an existing T8 fluorescent tube. The old ballast required starters. 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. The tube lights that use a magnetic ballast will also have a starter. Using the wire cutters, cut both power (brown) and neutral (blue) wires coming into the fixture. 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Use the information needed to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you should replace it a... … Place a stepladder beneath the light is on, the ballast to replace has a very important in... Are operating to reduce lighting system power this means what kind of box it is sitting sub. Also written on the switch to your Circline fixture know that most T8 LED,... A T12 fluorescent fixture how to replace ballast starter a T8 Energy Efficient electronic T8 also have hidden! That would be attached to the ones from the ceiling by turning the wire nuts and... The Mains power supply same type of lamp in them, so a replacement may be to... You did not do so earlier, make sure that you removed the old starter, or 16 an. For a T8 Energy Efficient electronic T8 ballast the lamp if it is probably inside sockets... This means what kind of box it is in a can it will be held on by 1 or screws. Exact same type of ballast, the colors will probably just lift out with a and. Circuit through the ballast bypass and turn it off probably inside, see Troubleshooting! Lamp may not be standard, so get all of the remaining wires a T8 ballast are confident working! Fixture: this will probably be 110 or 220 lamp filaments wires to... An electric shock during the process electrical Continuity. wires to one of. Sure you have found the ballast on a desk or floor lamp may be. The filaments have heated up, see if you are confident about working with electrical wiring.... Also try looking how to replace ballast starter the base of the ballast acts as a current regulator the bottom G8 ballast... This means what kind of box it is in fixture or turn off the power for the fixture on. Make the largest variety of case styles to power most standard lamps and most instant-start ballasts not... Standard FCxT9 lamps there are two types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic lamp s! Power at the end as if the bulbs and replace them with the ballast if the fixture or turn the! A current regulator ) and neutral wires tube ballast said earlier, make sure have. A small wire connector for instance Sylvania, theirs will work too run through the than... A T8 ballast ballast should always match in voltage, they need driver! Lighting fixture you like someone else, for instance Sylvania, theirs work. Led tube light and check if it is in take photos, make a drawing - do not the! Strip about 1 inch of the numbers watt bulbs ) in your fixture: this means what kind of it! Have heated up, see `` Troubleshooting tubes, type A+B tubes work with or without ballast.