The other individual red wires connect from the ballast to push-in connectors on each side of the left holder of lamp 2. The common yellow wires connect from the ballast to push-in connectors on one of the right holders of lamp 1 or 2. Two yellow wires connect the common lampholders together.

Similarly, What is the common wire on a ballast?

Individual vs Common Ballast Wires

Individual ballast wires each connect to a lampholder on one side of each tube. The common wire(s) connect to all of the lampholders on the other side of the tubes.

Additionally, How is a ballast wired? Connect the wires from the ballast to the wires on the light fixture in the following manner: one blue wire from the ballast to one blue wire from the light fixture; the other blue wire from the ballast to the remaining blue wire from the light fixture; black ballast wire to building’s black (hot) wire; white ballast …

How do I ground a ballast?

If the ballast has no direct ground connection then you can use a blue (for #14 and #16 wire) stake-on fork on the stranded wire from the cord and attach it directly under the ground screw or you can wrap a short piece of solid green or bare #14 wire around the screw and attach it to the cord by a wire connector.

What are the red and blue wires on a ballast?

The ballast has a hot and neutral wire at one end to receive power, and two blue wires a red one at the other end to supply power to the lights.

What is the GREY red wire on the ballast for?

The gray/red wire is the return path for the second set of lamps. In other words, it is the neutral for the second set of lamps.

Does ballast have polarity?

no polarity. it isn’t dangerous, but not quite as instantly deadly.

How are fluorescent lights wired?


How Fluorescent Lamps Work

  1. One of the electrodes is a bimetallic strip that bends when it is heated. …
  2. Inside the casing of a conventional fluorescent starter there is a small gas discharge lamp. …
  3. The ballast, starter switch and fluorescent bulb are all wired together in a simple circuit.

Does ballast need to be grounded?

Registered. Actually, the ballast is what needs a ground.

Do fluorescent ballasts need to be grounded?

No, a ground is not needed. Heck, in some cases a fixture is not even needed. Back when LORAN was still used for navigation all you had to do was hold a fluorescent bulb in the air near the tower and it would light. As for the ground and it’s usefulness the neutral and ground wires tied together in the breaker box.

Can you use a 4 lamp ballast for 2 lamps?

Can you also use a 4 lamp ballast for 2 lamps? Many replacement ballasts can be connected to more than one combination of lamps so that a 4 lamp ballast can be connected to a 3 or 2 lamp ballast. This is indicated directly on the label and on the wiring diagram.

Are fluorescent tubes polarized?

As the photons created by the excitation of the mercury are random .. the resulting “white” light is random as well .. hence not polarized

How do you wire a fluorescent light plug?

Twist the black or common wire from the cord to the black wire or set of wires on the fixture and secure them with a wire nut. Repeat this step for the white or neutral wires. Most fluorescent fixtures do not have a grounding wire. Instead, they have a green grounding screw mounted directly onto the fixture.

Where does ground wire go in a fluorescent light?

The screw is almost always directly attached to the metal body of the fixture or to metal that is connected to the metal body. The ground wire from the cable (also usually green) should be attached to the grounding wire on the fixture with a wire nut or screwed to the grounding screw.

How do I stop static on my fluorescent lights?

Try shortening the length of wire between your radio and speakers. Long speaker wire can pick up RFI and make it louder. Consider moving your radio to a different location. Moving your antenna to a new area may improve your reception enough to overcome the interference from fluorescent lights.

Do Fluorescent lights need an earth?

As the fluorescent light you have is a Class 1 metal cased type it must be earthed, leaving it unearthed presents an electric shock and possible fire risk.

Can you use a 3 lamp ballast for 4 lamps?

Can I use a ballast with 4 lamps for 3 lamps? A parallel 3-lamp ballast can be replaced by a parallel 4-lamp ballast. The two yellow wires of a 4 flame ballast are connected in the ballast.

How do you wire a 4 lamp ballast for a 3 lamp?


The two yellow wires on a 4 lamp instant start ballast are connected together inside the ballast.

  1. Cut and cap one yellow and one red or blue wire with a wire nut.
  2. Connect each of the blue ballast wires to the each of the two blue lampholder wires.
  3. Connect the red ballast wire to the third blue lampholder wire.

Can you use a 2 lamp ballast for 1 lamp?

A 1 lamp rapid start (series) ballast can be hard to find, but it can be replaced with a 2 lamp instant start (parallel) ballast.

Are light bulbs polarized?

Incandescent bulbs are not polarized. In fact, they normally run with alternating current which switches polarity 60 times/second. … They do not appear to be polarized.

Do fluorescent lights use AC or DC?

Fluorescent tubes are almost always powered with AC, but this circuit uses DC. Basically, this circuit is a voltage doubler composed by two 1N4007 diodes and two high voltage electrolytic capacitors of 10 μF 350 V. Such capacitors can be easily salvaged from compact fluorescent lamps.

Do LED lights need to be polarized?

Polarity is the direction the electrical current runs. The reason this is important in an LED light is because a light emitting diode and any electrical diode is a semiconductor. Semiconductors only allow electrical currents to run one way.

Can you wire a fluorescent light to a plug?

Having the fixture wired to a plug will allow it to be moved to where the light is needed, and used anywhere there is an electrical socket. Connecting a plug to a fluorescent light fixture is straightforward, but the terminals must be connected properly to avoid hazard from electrical shock.

How do you wire a fluorescent light without a ballast?


How to Bypass A Ballast

  1. Step 1: Disconnect All Power So There is No Electrical Current. …
  2. Step 2: Find the Ballast. …
  3. Step 3: Locate and Cut Only the Hot and Neutral Wires. …
  4. Step 4: Cut the Socket Lead Wires. …
  5. Step 5: Remove the Ballast (if you wish) …
  6. Step 6: Connect the Wires. …
  7. Step 7: Reattach Any Coverings and Turn On.