Did a ballast bypass for a 48" fixture - fluorescent lighting parts are getting harder to find

[y_p_w]

My dad asked for some help with his garage light, which is a traditional ceiling fixture with what looks like a magnetic ballast. This was added by a contractor during a remodel in the mid 90s. I played around with it to figure out how to remove the ends. I don't have a picture, but it's really convoluted with this sheet metal piece that kind of held in the tombstones. Each end had a screw but the metal piece didn't just slide off. I had to remove the entire fixture from the ceiling in order to reach these tabs (in the sheet metal) that were bent in and had to be straightened in order to remove the ends from the fixture. The whole setup is a massive pain.

Had a look at Costco, and the closest thing they had was something that could be mounted in the ceiling or hung, but it came with a cord and an outlet for daisy chaining for a longer setup. Didn't seem like a great idea.

So I went to Home Depot to get a ballast bypass LED replacement. They had a variety of different ones including ones in 10 packs and some brand names like Phillips. I didn't want to get the Phillips ones that were supposedly universal direct drop-in for any ballast. What I got were single-ended toggled (brand) 120V 48" dimmables in pairs, complete with two prewired ("Zing Ear") tombstones, two unwired tombstones (for the dummy end in order to mechanically attach the pins), and four wire nuts. I was thinking maybe using the unwired tombstones but wanted better quality ones for the live end, even if I had to somehow rewire (using the prewired piece or maybe the old ballast wire). However, I couldn't find any tombstones at HD, and and employee said the only way they sell them is online for delivery or store pickup. They also had a very small selection of traditional fluorescent tubes. I remember in the 90s I could find way more in different color temps and various sizes.

And I didn't see any ballasts available. I'm thinking maybe only some stores carry them and they have to be ordered. Might be more a matter of fluorescent fixtures being completely replaced. Not sure how much longer it's going to be where replacement parts are available without having to order them.

 

[ctechbob]

When I did the fixtures in my garage I intentionally looked for the ballast bypass LED's, I just didn't like the idea of still having the ballast in the circuit unnecessarily. They've been solid for me now going on a couple years.

 

[y_p_w]

When I did the fixtures in my garage I intentionally looked for the ballast bypass LED's, I just didn't like the idea of still having the ballast in the circuit unnecessarily. They've been solid for me now going on a couple years.

Yeah. I get that a lot of people do that to minimize the amount of work, but ballasts don't last forever, and it's unlikely that an old ballast is going to outlast the LED tube. If the ballast fails in 5-10 years, it might be really hard to find a replacement - especially if the tube is matched to a specific set of ballasts. There are also flexible versions that are claimed to work with ballasts or direct wired, but I'm skeptical of how well they work.

I ended up using the prewired tombstones in the box and just hooked those up to the light switch circuit. Made sense to put those on the short end (relative to the wiring hole) of the fixture. And with any luck this will never need to be replaced.

 

[Timmastertech]

I can say I have had the toggled ballast bypass LEDs in my shop for 6-7 years now and still love em. Used the prewired tombstones. We have some lights that stay on 24/7 and I think we have replaced 1 or 2 tubes.

 

[y_p_w]

I can say I have had the toggled ballast bypass LEDs in my shop for 6-7 years now and still love em. Used the prewired tombstones. We have some lights that stay on 24/7 and I think we have replaced 1 or 2 tubes.

In my own home, I had a 48" setup where I got my own wires, and they needed to be longer than the prewired tombstones. But it wasn't that difficult. I used one wire each from the hot/neutral switch circuit to one tombstone and then a wire to bridge to the second tombstone.

I also have this dual setup (on the same circuit) with two 24" pairs where I didn't remove the ballasts because I couldn't figure out how to disassemble the thing. That kit only came with unconnected tombstones. However, I used the existing wires in the tombstones and made sure to wire them properly. I also used white and black electrical tape on the existing wires to mark them. But they were really bright and I only needed one in each fixture (designed for a pair), which works fine since they don't have to be in pairs.

I did have one of the 48" ones fail, but toggled replaced it under their lifetime warranty. It was weird too. I think the contacts started splaying for some reason and weren't making contact internally. But I got a replacement shipped from Michigan to California within a week, and it in the meantime it still worked fine with a single tube.

 

[JHZR2]

And I didn't see any ballasts available. I'm thinking maybe only some stores carry them and they have to be ordered. Might be more a matter of fluorescent fixtures being completely replaced. Not sure how much longer it's going to be where replacement parts are available without having to order them.

l’ve very recently bought ballasts including for legacy 8’ tubes at my local HD.

im not opposed to LED but I havent found the led tubes to perform as well as older or newer tubes. Direct wire to me is just more of a risk because now you’re putting all those electronics in a tiny end of a tube instead of outside in a purpose built box.

I have two 8’ fixtures that are set up as 4x4’ in each. When I put led tubes and standard tubes together in nearby locations, I can really tell how much worse the led are.

The HF 5500 lumen led shop lights are excellent though. But not what you need… so there is hope…

 

[y_p_w]

im not opposed to LED but I havent found the led tubes to perform as well as older or newer tubes. Direct wire to me is just more of a risk because now you’re putting all those electronics in a tiny end of a tube instead of outside in a purpose built box.

It shouldn't be too hard. The most complicated part with ballast bypass tubes is converting AC to DC, and there's more room at the end of a tube than in a USB power adapter. I took apart one that failed (due to the pins) and internally it was a transformer at the end and a strip light board going through the length of the tube.

The direct-fit ones would seem to be more complicated. Especially the ones that claim to be able to do everything including ballast bypass or any ballast.

 

[Astro14]

I just replaced the ballast in our 4’ T12 laundry room fixture. $18 for a new ballast. Not hard to do. That would seem to have been the easiest option.

 

[sparky123]

Some of the best tubes for lumen output were the T5's. They used a little more electricity and they would last for a very long time. Electronic ballasts can be used to replace magnetic ballasts (F40T12) and you could use F32T8 bulbs in the same fixture as the pin spacing is the same. (Be careful of 120-277v ballasts.) Many tubes/bulbs and fixtures are being phased out and if you want them better buy now. LED's are being forced upon us. Once an integrated LED fails, throw it away and buy new fixture. The "Toggled" direct wire bulbs have been around awhile and are the one's I would recommend. What a world! Trying hard to stop asking "why" of many things!

 

[GON]

Here is a supplemental thread on older fluorescent fixture ballast failure in a garage light. Last page has the actual replacement. Part purchased at Home Depot. I am sure If purchased on-line, part cost would be much lower.

Any simple fixes for fluorescent light fixture?

The garage I work in has three florescent eight foot light fixtures. One of the fixtures, the one in the bay I service vehicles in, went very dim. I replaced both eight foot elements, but no improvement in lighting. Are there any simple repairs that can be performed, before I look into tearing...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[eljefino]

My state subsidizes, or did subsidize, the LED tubes that run off an existing ballast. So that's what I wound up with. They see maybe 20-50 hours of on-time a year so any additional gains in efficiency aren't financially worth it for me.

I do appreciate the elegance of direct-wire ones though.

 

[tmorris1]

im not opposed to LED but I havent found the led tubes to perform as well as older or newer tubes. Direct wire to me is just more of a risk because now you’re putting all those electronics in a tiny end of a tube instead of outside in a purpose built box.

I have two 8’ fixtures that are set up as 4x4’ in each. When I put led tubes and standard tubes together in nearby locations, I can really tell how much worse the led are.

All the LED bulbs have a power supply built into them since LEDs are DC. You are not saving anything by running the ballast, they just have a different type of power supply and by leaving the ballast you just have another failure point IMO.

A lot of the light output depends on the bulb and color temp used. I just put 3 - 8ft fixtures (4 - 48" in bulbs in each) in my garage. I removed the ballast and used Sylvania 5K direct wire LED tubes and they look great. Light output is like 2200 lumens per bulb and they start immediately in the cold. I had 3 ballasts that I could have given away since the fixtures came with a ballast.

 

[y_p_w]

All the LED bulbs have a power supply built into them since LEDs are DC. You are not saving anything by running the ballast, they just have a different type of power supply and by leaving the ballast you just have another failure point IMO.

A lot of the light output depends on the bulb and color temp used. I just put 3 - 8ft fixtures (4 - 48" in bulbs in each) in my garage. I removed the ballast and used Sylvania 5K direct wire LED tubes and they look great. Light output is like 2200 lumens per bulb and they start immediately in the cold. I had 3 ballasts that I could have given away since the fixtures came with a ballast.

I’ve heard some newer homes are wired with low voltage DC just for lighting, although it might make sense for other things like USB power supplies if there’s ever a standard. While these small switching power supplies are reasonably efficient, it’s not going to be as efficient as a well built central DC power supply. Should also be more reliable than several small, inexpensively built AC-DC converters.

This mentions a home wired with DC through CAT5 cables.

The Home of Today Can Run on Direct Current

LumenCache lets you do it over computer wires.

www.treehugger.com

 

[tmorris1]

I’ve heard some newer homes are wired with low voltage DC just for lighting, although it might make sense for other things like USB power supplies if there’s ever a standard. While these small switching power supplies are reasonably efficient, it’s not going to be as efficient as a well built central DC power supply. Should also be more reliable than several small, inexpensively built AC-DC converters.

This mentions a home wired with DC through CAT5 cables.

The Home of Today Can Run on Direct Current

LumenCache lets you do it over computer wires.

www.treehugger.com

Its called POE and is a standard for IP cameras, networking equipment and IP phones. DC will have a lot of loss over distance, especially if pulling higher current loads. That is why AC is used for our power distribution.

 

[y_p_w]

Its called POE and is a standard for IP cameras, networking equipment and IP phones. DC will have a lot of loss over distance, especially if pulling higher current loads. That is why AC is used for our power distribution.

Sure. But the losses for DC are acceptable over the wiring distance in a house and theoretically less dangerous. Obviously we're still going to have AC going over distribution lines.

We still have plenty of AC powered equipment, and I'm not sure if that's going away any time soon.

 

[brianl703]

But the losses for DC are acceptable over the wiring distance in a house and theoretically less dangerous.

As long as the load isn't more than 50 watts or so, sure. You aren't running a vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer on low voltage DC.

 

[ripcord]

My boss owns a small office building... six tenants. He recently had a company offer to come and replace all the 2x4 foot florescent fixtures with equivalent sized LED ones. His cost for the whole building came out to about $11 power fixture!!! The lighting company was basically giving the job away for the piece work cost of installion because between the rebate on the fixtures, a power company subsidy, and the copper recycling prices on the old fixtures, they were making a ton of money per job.

The powers that be really want to get rid of legacy lighting.