Table of Contents
Can you use a 4 lamp ballast for 2 lamps?
If the wiring of the four lamp fixture (probably a luminaire!) can be made to match the wiring shown in the ballast instructions for two lamp use, (i.e. the particular wires that go to the unfilled lamp holders are marked as unused and insulated in the instructions) then there should not be a short or long term problem …
Can a 2 bulb ballast be used for one lamp?
How to Replace 1 Lamp Rapid Start Ballast with 2 Lamp Rapid Start. A 1 lamp rapid start (series) ballast can be hard to find, but it can be replaced with a 2 lamp rapid start ballast. Here is how a 2 lamp ballast is wired to a 1 lamp fixture.
Are all T8 ballast the same?
Not every T8 ballast is created equal.
Can you use a 2 lamp ballast for 3 lamps?
A 3 lamp fixture with two rapid start ballasts can be replaced with a 3 lamp instant start ballast. As seen below, connecting the 3 lamp instant start ballast to the three lamps can be a bit confusing. This is because the wire colors on the ballast and the lampholders will not match up.
How do I know if a ballast is compatible?
You can determine whether you have a compatible fixture in seconds. Simply turn the light on, then take a photo of the fixture using your smartphone or digital camera. If there are no dark bands on the resulting image, you have an electronic ballast that will work with direct drop-in LED tubes.
What are yellow wires on a ballast?
The common yellow wires connect from the ballast to push-in connectors on one of the right holders of lamp 1 or 2. Two yellow wires connect the common lampholders together.
How do you wire a 3 way ballast for a 2 lamp fixture?
On the 3 lamp ballast, an individual wire is connected to the lampholder of lamp 2 on the left side, and the common wire on the right side. The other two individual wires are connected to the lampholders of lamps 1 and 3 on the right side, and the common wires to lamps on the left.
How do I know if a ballast is bad?
If your fluorescent lighting is displaying any of the signs below, it could be a symptom of a bad ballast:
- Flickering.
- Buzzing.
- Delayed start.
- Low output.
- Inconsistent lighting levels.
- Switch to an electronic ballast, keep lamp.
- Switch to an electronic ballast, switch to a T8 fluorescent.
How can I tell what kind of ballast my fluorescent fixture has?
Simply turn the light on, then take a photo of the fixture using your smartphone or digital camera. If there are no dark bands on the resulting image, you have an electronic ballast that will work with direct drop-in LED tubes.
Are all fluorescent light ballasts the same?
There are two basic types of fluorescent ballasts: magnetic (low frequency) and electronic (high frequency). Most fluorescent ballasts are now electronic, which are more efficient than magnetic ballasts.
What color wire are the hot in ballast?
Generally, the hot wire on the ballast is black, and the neutral is white. The other colors are the wires that connect the ballast to the fluorescent tube holders and to each other.