Can I use a 4 lamp ballast for 2 lamps?
6 min read
Asked by: Kelsey Engel
These ballasts have their capabilities listed on their label. check the circuit of the label, and also the type of lamps listed Therein . If your 2 lamps are listed, you can use it.
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.
Will a 2 lamp ballast work 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.
Does it matter which ballast to use?
It needs to fit the electrical requirements of the lamp that it will run. 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.
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.
How do you bypass a 4 bulb ballast?
How to Bypass A Ballast
- Step 1: Disconnect All Power So There is No Electrical Current. …
- Step 2: Find the Ballast. …
- Step 3: Locate and Cut Only the Hot and Neutral Wires. …
- Step 4: Cut the Socket Lead Wires. …
- Step 5: Remove the Ballast (if you wish) …
- Step 6: Connect the Wires. …
- Step 7: Reattach Any Coverings and Turn On.
What is the yellow wire 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 bypass a ballast on a 3 bulb fixture?
First disconnect the hot neutral. And ground wires that are connected to the ballast. Then cut all the wires leading from the ballast to the lamp sockets. Be sure to cut them close to the ballast.
How do you wire a single light ballast?
Here. This black and white is coming directly from the ceiling. So your power source goes directly into the ballast. Now from that your two blue wires go directly to one end of the bowl.
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.
What is the difference between rapid start and instant start ballast?
Rapid start ballasts appear to have a slight turn-on delay compared to the instant start. They will typically not be able to start lamps reliably under 50 degrees F.
How do you replace a double ballast?
Out just wiggle the ballast toward. You we'll get that other one out and we'll get this thing going on so these are the ballasts i just removed. And as you can see these are two bulb ballasts.
How do I know if my ballast is T8 or T12?
If no markings are available, the size in diameter of the tube is the easiest way to determine the type you have installed. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.
How can you tell if the 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 many ballast are in a 4 bulb fluorescent light?
Light Fixtures with Two Ballasts
A 4 lamp fixture with two rapid start ballasts can be replaced with one 4 lamp instant start ballast.
What happens if you put a T8 bulb in a T12 fixture?
T12 vs T8 Fluorescent Tubes
T12 tubes are 1.5″ in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won’t fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they’ll fit just fine.
Why does only 2 4 fluorescent bulbs work?
There’s a black ballast inside that is probably causing your problem. Take some pictures of the wiring and then disconnect all the wires going to the ballast, after turning off the power. Bring the ballast to a home store or electric supply store for a replacement. Then just re install it.
How long do ballasts last?
12 to 15 years
According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use. The optimum economic life of a fluorescent lighting system with magnetic ballasts is usually about 15 years.
Why do ballasts fail?
Ballast failure is often caused by the surrounding environment—mainly heat and moisture. When it’s too hot or too cold, a ballast can burn or fail to start your lamps. Heat, along with continuous condensation inside an electronic ballast, can cause corrosion over time.
How do I choose a replacement ballast?
The only things that matter when you're replacing a ballast are we're number one the number of bulbs number two the type of bulbs number three the voltage.
How do you check a ballast if it works?
One probe of the multimeter should touch the hot wire connections, while the other touches the neutral wire connections. If the ballast is good, an analog multimeter has a needle that will sweep to the right across the measuring scale. If the ballast is bad, then the needle won’t move.
Can you test a light ballast with a multimeter?
To measure it, set your digital multimeter to around a thousand ohms resistance setting. Connect the black leads to the white ground wire on your ballast. Afterward, test every other wire with the red lead. When you do this test, a good ballast will return an “open-loop” or max resistance.
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.
How do I know what type of ballast I have?
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 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.
Are all fluorescent light ballasts the same?
Types of fluorescent ballasts
Fluorescent ballasts use three different types of starting technologies: rapid, instant, and programmed.
