Can you use a 4 lamp ballast for 2 lamps?
Consequently, can you use a 4 lamp ballast for 2 lamps? Many replacement ballasts can be wired for several combinations of lamps, such that a 4-lamp ballast can be wired to a 3 or 2 lamp fixture. This will be shown right on the label and wiring diagram.
Can you use two ballasts at the same time?
In this way, can you use two ballasts one light? The new ballast can be used for 1 or 2 lights. If you have two lights then you should run one blue wire to one light and the other blue wire to the second light, as is shown on the schematic on the ballast.
How many blue wires do I need for a ballast?
If you have two lights then you should run one blue wire to one light and the other blue wire to the second light, as is shown on the schematic on the ballast. How do you wire up a ballast?
What happens if you wire a 4 lamp ballast wrong?
The two yellow wires on a 4 lamp ballast are connected together inside the ballast. Cut and cap one yellow and one red or blue wire with a wire nut. what happens if you wire a ballast wrong? If you use a wrong sized ballast the LRC will not be tuned so you are likely to not start the lamp at all.
Can I use a four lamp ballast on a two lamp fixture?
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 ...
Are fluorescent ballasts interchangeable?
When considering a ballast for your lamp, make sure they have corresponding ANSI (American National Standards Institute) codes. 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.More items...
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.
Will a T8 work in a T12 fixture?
T8 tubes are simply 1 inch in diameter versus the 1.5 inch diameter of T12 tubes. In an effort to make LED tube lights compatible with the internal dimensions of most fixtures, you will find that most LED tube lights feature a T8 or 1 inch diameter. They can indeed be used in T12 fixtures.
How do you wire a 4 lamp ballast?
0:427:524 Light Ballast Replacement - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOne is to just cut the wires and splice it in or you can take all these two stones out these areMoreOne 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.
How do you bypass a ballast on a 3 bulb fixture?
0:522:27How to Bypass a Ballast - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst disconnect the hot neutral. And ground wires that are connected to the ballast. Then cut allMoreFirst 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.
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.
Can you 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.
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.
What does a heat sink look like?
The heat sink will either look like fins around the bulb's base, or be behind slots in the side of the bulb casing. If your 60W rated fixture tightly encloses the LED bulb, or has no provision for airflow (additional slots around the fixture), then it will probably work but you will be s. Continue Reading.
What happens if you don't have a ballast?
If you don’t have the proper number tubes the ballast will generate more heat and shorten its lifespan and the life of the tubes. This also happens when people take 2 tu. Continue Reading. Since you already need to replace the ballast it would make sense to just convert the fixture to LED tubes or strips.
How many lumens does a 75 watt bulb have?
A LED that emits the same number of Lumens that a standard incandescent light does. That is about 1600 lumens for a 100 watt bulb. A 75 watt bulb delivers about 1100. I use the word “about” since a lumen is a measure of light intensity, and a watt is a measure of consumed energy.
How many tubes does a ballast need?
Some will work with 2 or 4 tubes, some need 3 or 4 . . . If you don’t have the proper number tubes the ballast will generate more heat and shorten its lifespan and the life of the tubes. This also happens when people take 2 tubes out of a 4 tube fixture.
How long is a ballast?
Ballasts are incredibly dumb devices that are either transformers (old school) or solid state inverters like a switching power supply. The tube could be 2 inches long, 2 feet long, 20 feet long, it don’t matter. If the tube is very long, then it will require a higher voltage or else you won’t get much light output.
Can a T8 ballast be used with a 2 bulb fixture?
If a ballast is series, as most old magnetics were, then you have to use a full amount of bulbs. It will tell you on the ballast, but the answer is no. 2 or 3 bulb ballast will work for a 2 bulb fixture.
Is a 400 ballast bigger than a 250?
If you look at a 400 and 250 ballast side by side the 400 is bigger. The 400 will light but not any brighter than a 250 would. You will eventually burn out the ballast or worse burn down your house. If someone has experimented with a light meter and temps proving this is safe I would like to hear the results.
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 ...
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, ...
How do I connect a 4 lamp ballast?
The two yellow wires on a 4 lamp 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. Click to see full answer.
What is the yellow wire on a bulb?
you would normally have the yellow connected to one end of a bulb and the other end will be connected to either a blue or a red wire . it is basically one half of the source power circuit, yellow on one end, and either blue or red to the other end . The two wires provide the source power to light a bulb. Can you use a two lamp ballast for one lamp?
Can a 4 lamp ballast be wired to a 3 lamp fixture?
Many replacement ballasts can be wired for several combinations of lamps, such that a 4-lamp ballast can be wired to a 3 or 2 lamp fixture. This will be shown right on the label and wiring diagram. There is no shortcut, you must look at the specific ballast and see whether the ballast is listed for that use. Furthermore, do I need ...
Do LED lights need a ballast?
LED technology does not require a ballast to regulate the amount of energy flowing to the lights. Additionally, removing the ballast will reduce energy usage and result in even great cost-savings as ballasts continue to draw more power than necessary.
How many ballasts are needed for 4 fluorescent tubes?
If you are talking about a fixture with fluorescent tubes it gets more complicated. To light 4 tubes the fixture could have one or two ballasts. It is bette. Continue Reading. This is probably not a safety hazard, although someone up on a ladder touching the burned socket could get an electric shock. Also, the damaged socket could let the bulb ...
How many ballasts are needed for a 12-15 year old fixture?
If the fixture is over 12-15 years old it likely has 2 ballasts, each ballast “driving” 2 tubes. Newer fixtures will have 1 electronic ballast driving all 4 tubes. In a 2-ballast scenario, the tubes are likely series-wired, meaning removing one of the tubes will cause the other tube on the same ballast to go out.
Why do LEDs stay on when you turn off the light switch?
Additionally, LEDs and stay on when you turn off the light switch (or at least a tiny bit on) because if the neutral is switched off, enough current can still run by capacitive coupling. Continue Reading. Not necessarily. An incandescent bulb can run at 140 deg C all day long with no problems.
How many volts do you need to make a pathway in the air?
In order for electrical power to be consumed, it must first flow, and in order for it to flow in air, extreme voltages (in excess of a few thousand Volts) would first be required to make a pathway in the air (ie. ionize it) for energy to flow. In order for electrical energy to be utilized, a circuit must be completed.
Can a damaged socket cause a bulb to fall?
Also, the damaged socket could let the bulb or tube fall and create all the hazards that come from that. If you are talking about the screw in curly compact fluorescent bulbs then it is fine. Each bulb has its own built-in ballast and operates independent of the other bulbs, just like old fashioned incandescent bulbs.
Does the number of bulbs matter in a ballast?
Depending on the design of the ballast , and the operation. In some cases , it does not matter the total number of bulbs, up to a limit ,since they are all in parallel to the striking voltage. However, there are some where at least 1 bulb has to be in place, and that pulb is the ‘leader’.
Is a burned socket a safety hazard?
Bob Johnson. This is probably not a safety hazard, although someone up on a ladder touching the burned socket could get an electric shock. Also, the damaged socket could let the bulb or tube fall and create all the hazards that come from that.
What is a T8 ballast?
T-8 ballasts are made in instant start where each lamp will work without the other. Or in a Rapid start ballast where the lamps depend on each other to run. Over the years, the primary method of operating T12 lamps has been magnetic ballasts using rapid start technology.
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?
Where can I find ballast info?
The only answer you can find is check the ballast info on the nameplate and wiring diagram and some case you may find a hidden infomation if you go online and check with the manufacter model to see how far they can be delamped.
What is the arc between the two 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.
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.
