Drop in LED Doesn't work, what did I miss?

[TheEquineFencer]

The T-8 two tube fixture in he kitchen quit at at once. G/F went to Lowes and came back with a drop in LED pair of bulbs. Prior to her going I verified I had 120v to the fixture. I installed the new pair of LEDs, they failed to light.

What do I do/check now?

 

[CJ7VFR]

The ballast might be bad in the current fixture if, as you say, both fluorescent light bulbs quit at the same time. You can still get voltage at the tombstones with a bad ballast.

Also, you don't show all the sides of the box for the new LED bulbs, but are they rated to be used in a fluorescent fixture that requires a ballast, or one that needs the ballast removed?

If they are the kind that are just plug and play replacements, and require the ballast, and neither of them are lighting up, then that is another sign your ballast is bad.

Jim

 

[TheEquineFencer]

The box said they are drop in replacements for T8's with a ballast. I figured if the "start" cicuit was bad in ballast they would still work?

 

[Platonic Solid]

Not sure exactly what LED bulb you purchased, but a quick look at Lowes shows they sell a universal T8 LED tube (link) with dual installation method - T8 direct-replacement or ballast bypass. It doesn't say whether it's single or double end powered. If it's double end powered you can use your existing fixture = remove ballast and wire sockets directly to AC (black one end white the other). If that's the case, I'd return the bulbs in favor of the linked bulb and toss the ballast.

Edit - OK I found the bulb you purchased (link). It's a GE LED tube that only works with a ballast. Had to read that in the questions section as the site description is pathetically useless. Don't waste your money on a new ballast as that will cost you more.

 

[UpstateNY]

Equine,

I did the exact same thing but bought my LED bulbs at Home Depot, they stock the Phillips brand, mine didn't work either. I ended using regular T-8 bulbs, there was nothing wrong with my fixture. They "drop-in" just fine, they just fail to light .

 

[Bert_]

The box said they are drop in replacements for T8's with a ballast. I figured if the "start" cicuit was bad in ballast they would still work?

By looking at your picture you have an instant start ballast. There is no "start circuit" there's only one wire to each end of the lamps, the ballast just applies a high voltage and starts the lamps by brute force.

Other types of ballasts like rapid or program start do have sort of a start circuit because they actually heat the filament in the ends of the lamps. But I have not seen LED lamps that work with these types of ballasts.

I have noticed a few early ballast failures from this type of drop in LED lamp. Could be coincidence or not, but I suspect the ballast don't like them.

 

[walta]

Some of the drop in LEDs require electronic ballasts if yours are magnetic I found the
Feit brand will work with magnetic ballasts

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Feit-Ele...inear-LED-Light-Bulb-T48-841-LED-RP/206036836

Walta

 

[Davefr]

I wouldn't use LED bulbs that are drop in. Use the direct connect bulbs where you bypass/remove the ballast.

The ballast consumes power and has a shorter life then LED bulbs so why use it?

Rewiring a fixture for direct connect is easy.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I replaced the kitchen light Linda picked out at Lowes...a 4ft commercial LED. It's VERY bright....