Can I use a 2 lamp ballast for 1 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.
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.
What happens if you wire a ballast wrong?
If a ballast fails, it can cause a short, burn out tubes or even cause a fire, so it must be replaced. Lights that don't turn on, fluorescent tubes blackened near their ends, and brown, burnt tube electrodes are all indicators that a ballast is bad.
Are light ballasts interchangeable?
Matching ANSI codes guarantees that the ballast you chose can be used with your lamp. However, ballasts are often compatible with more than one lamp, and vice versa.
How do you wire a 4 lamp ballast to a 3 lamp fixture?
The two yellow wires on a 4 lamp instant start ballast are connected together inside the ballast. Cut and cap one yellow and one red or blue wire with a wire nut. Connect each of the blue ballast wires to the each of the two blue lampholder wires. Connect the red ballast wire to the third blue lampholder wire.
How do you wire a 3 way ballast for 2 lamps?
0:561:56HOW TO INSTALL A 3 WIRE BALLAST FOR A DOUBLE TUBE ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFrom that into the center ones the closest ones to the other closest one I just put one red wire.MoreFrom that into the center ones the closest ones to the other closest one I just put one red wire. Into the one joining next to that okay. Just like that now the other. Side.
How can you tell 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.More items...•
Will LED bulbs work if ballast is bad?
Can LED lamps work off of existing ballasts? Yes, if they have an internal driver than can work off that ballast. Philips, for example, has designed a tube that is compatible with an existing electronic ballast.
What to do with the 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 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.
How do you figure out what ballast I need?
When purchasing a ballast, you'll need to read the type of lamps it's designed for, how many lamps it operates, and the voltage the lamps will run on. Choosing the right ballast for a lamp will optimize the light output and life of the bulb.
Are all ballast the same?
And there are two types of ballasts in each family: magnetic and electronic. Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology. For the fluorescent family, both T12 linear fluorescents and two-pin CFLs use magnetic ballasts. For HIDs, some metal halides and HPS lamps use magnetic ballasts.
What voltage comes out of a ballast?
Many fluorescent ballasts are now universal voltage, meaning they can be run on line voltage from 120 to 277 volts. For international or industrial use, 347-480V ballasts are available.
What is the red wire on a ballast?
2 and 3 lamp instant start ballasts use blue wires for individual connections, and red wires for common connections. Black wire is for line voltage and white wire for neutral. An instant start ballast uses a single wire which connects from the ballast to each of the lamp terminals.
How do you wire up a ballast?
0:592:15Fluorescent T8 ballast overview & wiring explained by Total Bulk ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd the other wires go to the the ends of the fluorescent tubes have what they call a tombstone. AndMoreAnd the other wires go to the the ends of the fluorescent tubes have what they call a tombstone. And that's where the tubes connect the electrically to the wires and to the bulb.
How do you wire a replacement ballast?
5:588:11Replacing A Ballast On A T12 Fluorescent Light Fixture ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd two white wires here and then the grounds are connected over here. So we're just going to takeMoreAnd two white wires here and then the grounds are connected over here. So we're just going to take these. And connect them via wire nut we're gonna take our blue wires that come from the ballast.
How many lamps can a T8 ballast run?
This is if you are using a ballast that can run up to 4 lamps. Almost forgot, this would be a T8 electronic ballast. Click to expand... The ballast installation instructions themselves, especially for an electronic ballast, should list the lamp combinations that they are rated for and the wiring to use. Some four lamp ballasts are also rated ...
Is a GE ballast rated for 2 and 4 lamps?
From the GE catalog sheet for similar ballast types we see that none are rated for both 2 and 4 lamp use.
Can you use a four light fixture with two lamps?
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 for ballast or lamps.
Can a four lamp ballast be used for two lamps?
Some four lamp ballasts are also rated for three lamps, or for two lamps. Some two lamp ballasts are also rated for one lamp. It varies by manufacturer and model, so there are no generic instructions. 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, ...
What color wires are used in lamps?
Two individual wires of the same color (blue or red) connect to each of the individual pairs on lamps 1 and 4. The other two individual wires of the same color (blue or red) connect to each of the individual pairs on lamps 2 and 3. One of the yellow common wires connect to the common wires of lamps 1 and 4. The other yellow common wire connects ...
Can you replace a 4 lamp ballast with a 4 lamp ballast?
A 4 lamp fixture with two rapid start ballasts can be replaced with one 4 lamp instant start ballast. As seen below, connecting the 4 lamp instant start ballast to the four lamps can be a bit confusing. This is because the wire colors on the ballast and the lampholders do not match up on two of the connections.
How many lamps can you run on a T8 ballast?
If you have a T8 4-lamp ballast and you want to only run 2 lamps, do you need to leave off either the red or blue wires, or use 1 of each, depending on which 2 lamps you want?
How does a T12 light work?
Over the years, the primary method of operating T12 lamps has been magnetic ballasts using rapid start technology. Rapid start configurations have two wires connected to each side of the lamp. There is a small voltage between the two wires that is used to provide heat to the lamp’s cathodes. An arc forms between the electrical connections in the cathodes, which produces light. When heated, the cathodes release emitter, which is a substance that helps strike the arc across the lamp between the two cathodes. The voltage between each side of the lamp is required to maintain an arc over the length of the lamp tube. Rapid starting is relatively gentle on the cathodes and - when operated on short lighting cycles - the lamp doesn’t sacrifice life. However, due to cathode heating, rapid start systems require several extra watts per lamp more than instant start systems.
Can a Verison delamp in half?
I know the instant start ( parallel ) verison can delamp without much issue but again check the info before you complety delamp in half due some electronic ballast do have dual connections inside so one side will work off from one side of ballast and the other half on other side of ballast.
Can a ballast fail early?
If the ballast is not rapid start ,but trigger start instead you can just take out two lamps and they will run brighter thus burn out faster,,the ballast may fail early too.
Can you retrofit a direct wire lamp?
If you are retro fitting why not use a direct wire lamp, forget the ballast and use as many lamps as you want.
Can you have multiple lamps on a ballast?
You would have to check on the ballast. Some are universal and can be configured for multiple different lamp numbers. Other than one of those, you can significantly reduce the life of the ballast by not following the wiring diagram.
