Can you use two ballasts one light?
8 min read
Asked by: Rodney Juarez
Can you wire two ballasts together?
Fluorescent tube light fixtures with two ballasts are typically wired in the same manner. Individual wires of one ballast connect to the one side of the fixture, individual wires from the other ballast connect to the other side of the fixture.
Can you use a two lamp ballast on one lamp?
Following alone the line of the previous post, it appears that I can install two ballast in one fixture (lots of room) where each 2-lamp ballast only has one line working. The input to each may be a challenge, but the independent output to each lamp is simple.
How many ballasts are in a fixture?
The fixture may appear to have two tubes working off one ballast, but actually there are two ballasts built into one case. Fixtures with four tubes, similarly, have four starters and four ballasts. In some kinds of fixtures, the starters are built in and cannot be individually replaced.
Can you use a 2 lamp ballast for 4 lamps?
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 do you wire a two light ballast?
Connect the wires from the ballast to the wires on the light fixture in the following manner: one blue wire from the ballast to one blue wire from the light fixture; the other blue wire from the ballast to the remaining blue wire from the light fixture; black ballast wire to building’s black (hot) wire; white ballast …
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.
Can you use a 3 lamp ballast for 1 lamp?
A 3 lamp fixture with two instant start ballasts can be replaced with one 3 lamp instant start. The wiring of the new 3 lamp ballast is fairly simple because the wire colors match the old ballasts.
What is the difference between rapid start and instant start ballast?
Instant start lamps don’t use a preheating method. Instead, they send a high amount of voltage across the lamp upon the strike. Typically, instant start ballasts use 1.5-2 watts less per lamp than rapid start ballasts. Instant start lamps also start reliably at temperatures as low as zero degrees.
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.
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.
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 do you wire a 4 lamp ballast?
One is to just cut the wires and splice it in or you can take all these two stones out these are called tombstones. And just plug the new wire. In.
Can you use a 3 lamp ballast for 1 lamp?
A 3 lamp fixture with two instant start ballasts can be replaced with one 3 lamp instant start. The wiring of the new 3 lamp ballast is fairly simple because the wire colors match the old ballasts.
What is the difference between rapid start and instant start ballast?
Instant start lamps don’t use a preheating method. Instead, they send a high amount of voltage across the lamp upon the strike. Typically, instant start ballasts use 1.5-2 watts less per lamp than rapid start ballasts. Instant start lamps also start reliably at temperatures as low as zero degrees.
What to do with the yellow wires on a ballast?
You have two yellow to red now these Blues on the new ballasts are interchangeable it does not matter what you do.
Does ballast have polarity?
If the lamp is fluroescent, it has a ballast. If you can get to that, the ballast should be marked with either the polarity or the usual black and white wires for hot and neutral. Polarity should not matter though, with AC power.
Do LED lights need a ballast?
No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast. You will find ballast-compatible or “plug-and-play” LEDs that are designed to replace linear fluorescents, compact fluorescents, or HIDs. Incandescent and halogen lamps do not require a ballast.
How many volts does a ballast put out?
Newer fluorescent ballasts are usually rated for both 120 volts and 277 volts. Some are rated for only 120 volts, others for only 277 volts (used in commercial environments).
How do you check a ballast?
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.
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 long do fluorescent 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.
What happens when a ballast goes bad?
The ballast itself can go bad, which causes lights to flicker or even appear to be burnt out, when in fact they aren’t. They require maintenance and energy to power, on top of the power used to light the fluorescent bulb. They are a large part of the equation when using fluorescent lamps.
Will LED lights 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.
Can you bypass a ballast on a fluorescent light?
If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. Nonetheless, if the existing fixture offers a shunted tombstone, you should replace it with a non-shunted variant.
Is it the bulb or the ballast?
The ballast provides enough voltage to start the fluorescent bulbs, and once they are started, it quickly lowers the current to produce just enough electricity to produce a steady light source. Without the ballast, a fluorescent bulb would attach directly to 120-volt current and quickly burn out the bulb.
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 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.
Why do fluorescent lights not turn on sometimes?
If a fluorescent tube neither lights nor flickers when switched on, first check to see that the fixture is plugged in and that no fuse has blown or circuit breaker has tripped. If this does not help, try wiggling the tube gently in its sockets by rocking it back and forth and from side to side.
How do you test a fluorescent light ballast?
Your other test lead to the wires. And see if your meter still reads open line it should read open line open line if you have an analog meter it should not move.
Why does my fluorescent light take a long time to come on?
Over time, the starter can wear down and ultimately take longer to do its job. Lights that take a long time to come on or flicker on and off without starting are common symptoms. If you suspect the starter may be the culprit, first check to make sure your light actually has one.
