48" LED - fluorescent conversion without ballast

[BFBOB]

Sorry if this has been covered - a bit of searching didn't find anything exactly matching my situation. I have an old- old two-tube 48" fluorescent fixture that I converted to LED a couple of years ago with Philips Universalfit tubes, model 92900 9659 6NC 539155. Their tech support and instructions are pretty awful, and it took me quite a bit of try this- try that to get them working. They've worked fine until recently the hum of the ballasts got a little louder, and then they started shutting off after about 2 hours on. When this happens, the ballast is quite hot. Not too hot to touch the steel housing of the light, but decidedly hotter than the normal warmth. Now, they won't turn on at all, so clearly the ballast is shot.

So here's the question- can these tubes be wired directly to 120VAC with no ballast? I know there are LED tubes designed for straight to AC operation, but I'd hate to try it and have these go ****. Maybe in series to cut the volltage in half? Maybe a step-down transformer? I have plenty of 12-24V transformers.

RESEARCH: I can get a replacement ballast for less than the cost of one of those LED tubes. BUT!!! it's an electronic ballast, not the old style transformers. Any idea whether it will work??

 

[sparky 1971]

I googled the number and the 1st thing that came up was Home Depots add for them so that's what I'm going with. Those lamps require a ballast and you have a ballast failing. You can do one of two things. 1) buy a replacement ballast or 2) do what I would do and throw those lamps in the trash and buy double ended ballast bypass lamps.

 

[Innovate1]

This is exactly why non-ballast bypass lamps are a horrible idea. Use the tubes in another fixture if you have one and get ballast bypass bulbs as sparky said. Even if someone gave me a ballast I wouldn't go with a ballast. I still have some fixtures I haven't converted but when a bulb or ballast goes out it gets ballast bypass bulbs.

 

[cybrdyke]

As others said, you cant run it without a ballast. I'll add that your other notions wont work, either. IF you do choose to replace the ballast, here is the list of ballasts that are compatible with the Philips tube.
ballast compatibility
Your best course of action is to bypass the ballast and install double end powered tubes.
Another alternate is to replace the fixture with an LED fixture.
Good luck,
CD

 

[Big Bad Dad]

I have converted several 4 ft florescent light fixtures to LED with these "Toggle" brand kits from Home Depot. Easy and not very costly. Just remove the old ballast entirely and install the provided tombstone holders. Easy and simple to connect the wires, and instructions are included. I have been very satisfied with the results.

toggled 48 in. 16-Watt Daylight Deluxe T8 Dimmable Linear LED Tube Light Bulb (2-Pack) D416-65321-2 - The Home Depot

Provide a warm light for your interior space by adding this toggled Daylight Deluxe T Linear LED Tube Light Bulb.

www.homedepot.com

 

[The Cobbler]

yes, ditch the ballasts, buy by-pass bulbs.
I've converted many for a charitable organization volunteer at ( electrician installed them, but I did the rewiring of the fixtures)

 

[PoorUB]

I did 22 four foot fixtures in my shop last summer, ballast bypass. I can not understand why anyone would not go that way, other than lazy. A few minutes of wiring per fixture and no more ballast.

 

[BFBOB]

Why not go the ballast bypass way? It all came down to $'s and .0$'s. An electronic ballast was cheaper than replacing the two LED tubes. I did do some research and concluded electronic should work, and it does.

Since the old ballast is clearly labeled Non-PCB, I can take it in on the next scrap wire run and make a few pennies.

Annnndd... while I had it all apart, I installed the pull-chain switch that's been lying around here at least a year. No more plug/unplug!
Woo hoo!