", http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/pcbib.htm. The connectors on the ends might be a little tight but they will fit. It is a thin metal box … 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). Instant Start ballasts provide approximately 10,000 starts before 50% of lamp failure. Most T8 tubes will have a hidden ballast, covered with a casing and resting behind the tube light. 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. The starter can will usually be poking out under the cover (if there is one) where the lamps are. If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. 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. If your tube light uses a magnetic ballast, make sure to locate and remove the starter before moving on to the next step. If a ballast is replaced with the exact same type of ballast, the wire colors usually match. Screw the electronic ballast into the fixture, in … : CAT. The new one does not. Ballast Wire Colors. . Now, install the T8 LED tube on the fixture. Type A+B: Also known as ‘Hybrid’ T8 LED tubes, Type A+B tubes work with or without a ballast. Cap the wires with wire nuts. Use push-in connectors or wire nuts to complete and secure the connection. 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. 1. The voltage of the fixture: This will probably be 110 or 220. Remove the fluorescent tube by giving it a half-turn until its pins align with the slots in the sockets. If the bulbs fail to light up, then 9 out of 10 times the ballast is culprit. Make a close cut and ensure that there are no longer than 2 inches of wires left. The number on the lamp(s) in your fixture: This will probably be FC6T9, FC8T9, FC12T9, or FC16T9. Turn on the mains power supply. 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. Use the wire cutters to cut the wires connected to the sockets. Press the starter down into the base, aligning its pins with the entry openings in the base, then Installing them means you will have to remove an existing fluorescent tube ballast. The new ballast says I can use 3 or 4 tubes. If it is in a standard home it will probably be 120. Some fixtures will have more than one type of lamp in them, so get all of the numbers. 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. These lamps are compatible with newer standard FCxT9 lamps. 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. Now, strip out the colored insulation covering of the remaining wires. in 2018, Alan Cornwell wrote this question: I have a modern fluorescent tube with no starter. NOTE: There are two types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic. Usually you will simply match the number of the old starter, or use an FS-U universal replacement starter. 1. Wiring a T12 Fluorescent Fixture for a T8 Energy Efficient Ballast. Remount the fixture making sure no wires get caught under it, and reinstall the lamps and the cover. Have searched all over but can't find answer. Since LED lights work on low DC voltage, they need a driver. Ensure to strip about 1 inch of the wires. Now remove the fixture. They are compatible with linear fluorescent tube ballasts. The ballast will either be on the top of this fixture or on the bottom. 4. Replacement ballast should always match in voltage, wattage and brand. If an old T12 lamp magnetic ballast is replaced with a newer T8 lamp and electronic ballast, the colors will probably not match. For more information see http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/pcbib.htm. Congratulations! Ballast gets very hot, so wait a few minutes before you work on florescent light fixtures that have been turned on for a while. Recommended troubleshooting sequence: Problem Check Corrective Action Lamps do not start and known “good” replacement lamp does not start Then, fix the new T8 fluorescent tube light, and that’s all. Take out your current bulbs and replace them with the new bulbs. Pull the 2 sets of wires that would be attached to the lamps out of the holes they run through. If it works, congratulations! Below is the old Robertson Transformer Co. ballast from 1963. The problem with this type is that the lamp will have trouble turning on if it is sitting in sub 50-degree climates. Most T8 LED tubes do not need a ballast. 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. Buying the Ballast . As I said earlier, if you are not comfortable with these things then get professional help. If your lamps don't have numbers, you can look at the ballast label to see what they should be. Our latest electronic ballasts use a compact form factor design, enabling fixture manufacturers to design sleeker, more streamline fixtures. Caution: Disconnect power before servicing or changing lamps. 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. . Once you have found the ballast, remove the wire nuts or cut off the crimp nuts. 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. So, Now, locate the ballast on the existing fluorescent fixture. Retrofit Wiring Diagrams. If there is a "can" near the bottom try opening this up since the ballast is probably inside. Place a stepladder beneath the light fixture, if necessary. 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. UltraStart® provides greater than 100,000 starts. Halide Ballast has an automatic resetting thermal protector, which will turn off the ballast if the fixture or ballast becomes overheated. There are several ways you can do this. 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. The old ballast required starters. Using the wire cutters, cut both power (brown) and neutral (blue) wires coming into the fixture. Connect the ballast common red wire to the yellow pair of lampholder common wires. Since LED lights work on low DC voltage, they need a driver. The ballast on a desk or floor lamp may not be standard, so a replacement may be hard to get. Take photos, make a drawing - do not fail to record this information as it makes wiring a new ballast far easier. Keystone offers fluorescent ballasts in a variety of case styles to power most standard lamps. 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). Albeit, not knowing (and following) the basics of electrical connections, wiring, and circuitry may lead you into a ‘shocking situation’ (for real)! 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. Flipping the light switch to the “off” position does not necessarily end the flow of … Notes: This is applicable for 2-lamp T12 rapid start to a 2-lamp electronic T8. (Meaning that the tombstone should not show electrical Continuity.) Remove... Cut the Old Ballast Wiring. 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. 2-Lamp Electronic Instant Start. You could also try using a multimeter set to measure resistance. 3. Store Finder; ... Optanium 120/277-Volt 4-Lamp T8 Instant Start Electronic Fluorescent Replacement Ballast (217) Model# 520387 $ 20 98. 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. Note the ballast provides all of the information needed to replace it. If your fixture uses circular fluorescent bulbs, a plug … Now for the moment of truth! I've replaced the tube but it still only lights at the end as if the starter has died. Now, you must take out the ballast by unscrewing it. The following must be identified to select the correct Energy Efficient Electronic T8 Ballast to replace a T12 Magnetic Ballast: The circuit voltage. Turn off the power. So if you’re installing a fluorescent light in a walk-in freezer, this is not the most reliable ballast mechanism for the job. Snip the old fluorescent ballast wiring several inches … … Preheat Start ballasts require a starter (usually built-in) to establish the circuit through the ballast and pre-heat the lamp filaments. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published, . 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. Install the new ballast in the same way that you removed the old one. Remove the ballast and wave it goodbye. Turn on the power at the circuit breaker box and then turn on the switch to your Circline fixture. Otherwise it is probably screwed in, so find and remove the screws. If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. The ballast on a desk or floor lamp may not be standard, so a replacement may be hard to get. Make sure that the wires that connect to the lamp(s) are through the appropriate holes so that they connect to their appropriate lamps. Use the information you got earlier to find your ballast in the online catalog. … 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. Type B: These tubes are also known as ‘Ballast Bypass’ or ‘Direct wire’ T8 LED tubes. (Meaning that the tombstone should not show electrical Continuity.) Once you remove the tube and expose the ballast, cut the hot and neutral wires that supply input power. 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. On the other hand, an LED driver converts the high voltage AC to low voltage DC. Cut Socket Wires. When replacing with a 4 lamp ballast, cap the fourth individual blue wire with a small wire connector. Remove the magnetic ballast. Turn electricity off. If it does not light up, see "Troubleshooting. This is a twin tube overhead kitchen light. In order for you to get all of the necessary information to replace your ballast, you need to remove it. Remove the fluorescent bulbs from the fixture. NOTE: There are two types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic. The tube lights that use a magnetic ballast will also have a starter. If it is in a can it will probably just lift out with a little force. Wiring diagrams and descriptions to help you understand fluorescent ballasts, A fluorescent tube circuit includes a ballast, wires, lampholders, and the tubes. Remove the case, lamp, and any cover that prevents you from reaching the ballast. Ballast catalog no. Most. Since LED T8 tubes need a single-ended power supply. Make sure that you connect the wire nuts securely and that no bare wire shows from under them. 45 This is also written on the label of the ballast. Once the light is on, the ballast acts as a current regulator. Also try looking under the base of the lamp if it looks big enough. Get free shipping on qualified Replacement Ballast Replacement Ballasts or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Lighting Department. UltraStart® have the equivalent energy savings and convenience of instant start ballasts but with the long lamp life of a programmed start ballast. 1Ballast has a very important role in starting the lamp and protecting it from the high current. Unplug the fixture or turn off the power at the main panel. The one I recommend is Advance Transformer (http://www.advancetransformer.com). (as shown in the figure). LED tube light retrofitting involves installing an energy-saving LED tube light by replacing an existing T8 fluorescent tube. Remove these. 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. Match Replacement Ballast Wiring to Original Ballast Wiring. Understand that the ballast is responsible for providing a fluorescent lamp with an initial spike of high voltage. Remove the case, lamp, and any cover that prevents you from reaching the ballast. Go to your breaker box and turn off the power for the area you’ll be working on. Replace the whole adapter unit. Converting a Fixture from a T12 Ballast to a T8 Ballast. 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