To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Ballast compatible LED bulb issue

razok

New member
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
4
I'm swapping out my T8 florescent bulbs with GE LED ones I got at Loews. They are meant to be used with the newer ballasts. I didn't want to go the ballast bypass route allot of rewiring. I've encountered a strange issue with 4 of my 30 fixtures (good quality 2 bulb industrial light fixtures). On these 4 I have to leave one T8 florescent in place in order for the light to work. If I have two LED bulbs in neither will fire unless a rotate 1 of the bulbs a little but when I turn them off and on again they won't light . I've tried other bulbs and the contacts seem to be fine. Anyone run into this issue?
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

BillK

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
9,451
Location
Beautiful Southern Maryland
Try the bulbs in another fixture. I have seen online where some of the Led dont make as good a contact in some fixtures. That sort of sounds like what you have going on.
 

Slowgsr

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
610
Location
Southern ontario
Whenever we relamp to led, the ballast gets replaced. Had the same issue, older, weak, ballast won't fire the led lamps. There's also rapid vs instant start ballast and many types and brands ranging quality. So we always replace both. We use Philips.
 

BillK

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
9,451
Location
Beautiful Southern Maryland
Whenever we relamp to led, the ballast gets replaced. Had the same issue, older, weak, ballast won't fire the led lamps. There's also rapid vs instant start ballast and many types and brands ranging quality. So we always replace both. We use Philips.

Another reason to just go with the ballast bypass type of lamps. It probably doesn't take 15 minutes to eliminate the ballasts in most fixtures.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

cybrdyke

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Messages
3,470
Location
USA
I'm swapping out my T8 florescent bulbs with GE LED ones I got at Loews. They are meant to be used with the newer ballasts. I didn't want to go the ballast bypass route allot of rewiring. I've encountered a strange issue with 4 of my 30 fixtures (good quality 2 bulb industrial light fixtures). On these 4 I have to leave one T8 florescent in place in order for the light to work. If I have two LED bulbs in neither will fire unless a rotate 1 of the bulbs a little but when I turn them off and on again they won't light . I've tried other bulbs and the contacts seem to be fine. Anyone run into this issue?

Troubleshooting:
1. Ballasts are not compatible. Are the ballasts in those 4 fixtures the same as in the others? Are they on the lamp's compatibility list?
2. Ballasts are old and are unable to provide the necessary current to fully light the tubes.
3. Contact between pins of lamp and sockets is not good. Are sockets corroded or dirty?

good luck,
CD
 

Crazyjake8493

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
4,017
Location
Upstate NY
Another reason to just go with the ballast bypass type of lamps. It probably doesn't take 15 minutes to eliminate the ballasts in most fixtures.

Not even, I've done several lights at home and just did a dozen or so for friends and family. Took 5 minutes tops per fixture from T12. I guess if you're going from T8 and have to switch to non-shunted tombstones on one end then maybe 10-15 minutes. But it eliminates any existing and future ballast problems. Best way to go, in my opinion.
 

marinusdees

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2012
Messages
1,325
Location
Edgewood, Washington
Not even, I've done several lights at home and just did a dozen or so for friends and family. Took 5 minutes tops per fixture from T12. I guess if you're going from T8 and have to switch to non-shunted tombstones on one end then maybe 10-15 minutes. But it eliminates any existing and future ballast problems. Best way to go, in my opinion.

Depends on lots of variables. How high are they?? What is under them?? In other words, how accessible are they?? Will you be standing on a 14' stepladder, or working off a rolling stage, climbing up and down frequently?? Or,??
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom