Electricians/Fluorescent Light Gurus - HELP

[Tex_Cattleman]

Our closet light quit working abruptly. Figured its time to change the ballast.

So I bought one and bought new lamp holders — as there us no way to get the blue or red wire ends out of the old lamp holders.

Seems easy enough to put everything back the way it came out. My question is on the small black loops on each lamp holder. Do I need to make these up on the new holders?

[Mrsailfish]

You need the loop if you want it to work

[WalkieTalkie]

Those are known as tombstones. Are the original tombstones in bad shape? You can replace the ballast without replacing the tombstones

[Tex_Cattleman]

Dat Gummet. Two things.
1) never dawned on me that all I needed to do was cut the old wires coming out of the old ballast and wire nut them to the corresponding colored wires on the new ballast.
2) the old one has white, black, blue and red. New one has those plus two yellows.

Where do the yellows go to?!?!
Or - did I buy the wrong replacement ballast?

Really irritates me when a 10 minute project turns into half an afternoon!!!

[Tex_Cattleman]

Those are known as tombstones. Are the original tombstones in bad shape? You can replace the ballast without replacing the tombstones

Bingo. What I typed above before I saw your post.

How about the yellow wire on the new ballast?

[Tex_Cattleman]

Another dang issue. The ballast I'm replacing is clearly for T8 bulbs. The lamp is for T12. Whoever replaced it before me put the wrong one in.

[Lungbustr]

Future tip, price ballast vs new fixture. Many times it's about the same price and faster to put in a new fixture.

[MadHatter]

Future tip, price ballast vs new fixture. Many times it's about the same price and faster to put in a new fixture.

Just did this for my FIL. LED with 22 yr guarantee = no bulb replacement, no ballast going out, cheaper electric bill.

[Tex_Cattleman]

Just did this for my FIL. LED with 22 yr guarantee = no bulb replacement, no ballast going out, cheaper electric bill.

Headed back to home depot to do this. Thanks!

[dustoffer]

I buy ballasts by the dozen for our church---from 1000Bulbs in Arlington. They are half the price of the big box stores and electricians.

[yaqui]

LED all the way...Costco and Sam's have 'em.

[Mike D]

Trey save yourself the headache and just go buy a replacement fixture in LED. Look for a color temp of 3000-3500k.


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[db@100]

If you are going to replace your existing T8 lamps with LED, I would get the "ballast bypass bulbs", remove the ballast and wire the tombstones as directed.
I would use the 4000K color.

[WalkieTalkie]

There are 2, 3, and 4 lamp ballasts. The replacement ballast will have the exact color wires and no extras

[WalkieTalkie]

If the old ballast does not have yellow wires then Yes, its the wrong one