Electronic ballast ratings

TABLE 2: BALLASTS FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS – EEI CLASSIFICATION FOR RATED VOLTAGE >240V AND <250V

How do I choose an electronic ballast?

Quote from Youtube video: The only things that matter when you're replacing a ballast are we're number one the number of bulbs number two the type of bulbs number three the voltage.

How are ballasts rated?

Noise is rated A, B, C, or D in decreasing order of preference. An “A” rated ballast will hum softly; a “D” rated ballast will make a loud buzz. The number of ballasts, their sound rating, and the nature of ambient noise in the room determine whether or not a system will create an audible disturbance.

How do I know which ballast to get?

You can determine whether you have a compatible fixture in seconds. Simply turn the light on, then take a photo of the fixture using your smartphone or digital camera. If there are no dark bands on the resulting image, you have an electronic ballast that will work with direct drop-in LED tubes.

How do I know what size ballast I need?

By selecting a ballast with an ideal ballast factor, you can optimize the light output of your fluorescent lighting system and maximize your energy savings. To estimate your total system lumens, multiply the rated lumens of your lamp by the ballast factor. For example, 3200 lumens x 0.77 BF = 2464 total system lumens.

What happens if you use wrong ballast?

If the ballast is bad, then the needle won’t move. If you’re using a digital multimeter, often the digital readout will possibly list a “1” when it doesn’t find a measurable resistance.

How do I know if my ballast is T8 or T12?

If no markings are available, the size in diameter of the tube is the easiest way to determine the type you have installed. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.

What is the use of electronic ballast?

An electronic ballast (or electrical ballast) is a device that controls the starting voltage and the operating currents of lighting devices. It does this through the principle of electrical gas discharge.

What is the difference between magnetic ballast and electronic ballast?

What’s the Difference between an Electronic Ballast and a Magnetic Ballast? Electronic ballasts alter the flow of electricity in the light bulb by using a series of induction coils that are separated from one another. In contrast, magnetic ballast uses 1 induction coil and not a series.

Which ballast has the highest power factor magnetic or electronic?

Magnetic ballasts typically have low ballast power factors (below 1.0), while many of today’s electronic fluorescent ballasts have a higher power factor, efficiently using energy to light their lamps.

Will a T8 work in a T12 fixture?

T8 tubes are simply 1 inch in diameter versus the 1.5 inch diameter of T12 tubes. In an effort to make LED tube lights compatible with the internal dimensions of most fixtures, you will find that most LED tube lights feature a T8 or 1 inch diameter. They can indeed be used in T12 fixtures.

What do the numbers on a ballast mean?

The most common types are T12, T8, and T5. The T stands for tubular and the number indicates the diameter in 1/8 of an inch. Lamp diameter is determined by ballast type. A fixture with a T12 ballast must use a T12 bulb. A fixture with a T8 ballast must use a T8 bulb, etc.

How do you determine the wattage of a ballast?

There’s also a common way to estimate the system wattage of a fluorescent fixture if you don’t have a ballast catalog handy: multiply the lamp wattage by the number of lamps and the ballast factor.

How many watts does an electronic ballast use?

They consume eight to 10 watts when operating with the lamp in the circuit. The ballast will consume about four watts when the lamps are removed although the ballast is still energized. Electronic ballasts start and regulate fluorescent lamps with the use of electronic components.

How much power does an electronic ballast use?

about 13 to 16 watts

Electronic Ballasts



On a typical fixture with two 4 foot 40 watt T-12 fluorescent lamps, the ballast consumes about 13 to 16 watts of electricity. Thus the total consumption of the two lamps plus the ballast is about 93 to 96 watts. The most efficient ballasts are electronic, or high-frequency ballasts.

How many watts does an 8 foot fluorescent use?

A T8 fluorescent that uses 32 watts of energy typically produces 2500 lumens of light. It’s LED equivalent, while using only 17 watts, produces 2200 lumens. Additionally, T8 LED light bulbs have a lifetime rating of 50,000 hours, more than 3 times longer than 15,000 hour average lifespan of T8 fluorescent lights.

How many watts is a 6ft fluorescent tube?

70 watt

70 watt T8 6ft Daylight Fluorescent Tube.

How many watts is a normal fluorescent tube?

1. Energy Consumption

Does a ballast use electricity if no bulbs are present?

No, unlike LEDs, the fluorescent bulb itself (or rather the tube) can not use power when it burns out, however, the ballasts may use a trace of energy whether or not there is a bulb installed.

Is it safe to bypass a ballast?

Safety risk



The most significant negative to a ballast-bypass linear LED is the risk of electric shock since the sockets carry line voltage. It’s a common practice to place a finger on the lamp pins while you are trying to install it, and this becomes a risky endeavor when using single-ended ballast-bypass lamps .

Can you bypass a ballast?

Once you have disconnected the ballast from its wires by cutting them, you will be able to successfully separate the ballast from the fixture. You remove the ballast altogether by unscrewing it from the fixture, or you can move it over and tuck it into the fixture with its remaining wires.