Do I need to remove the ballast to use an LED bulb?

An LED light does not require a ballast because it uses a component called a “driver” to regulate the power going into the bulb.

How do you bypass the ballast for LED lights?

Can you remove ballast and use LED lights?

Hybrid linear LED lamps are able to work both as a plug and play – with the existing ballast – and, once the ballast peters out, you can remove it and have the lamp run off of line voltage.

Can you put LED bulbs in a fluorescent fixture?

You have fluorescent tube lights in your home or business already, and you're wondering if you can pop LED tubes in these fixtures or if you'll need to change out the fixtures for something designed for LED. Good news! You can use LED tubes in your existing fixtures!

Can you put LED bulbs in fluorescent ballast?

In short, YES!

New linear LED tube bulbs are simple plug-and-play and ballast compatible. You will simply need to remove your fluorescent bulb and plug in your LED light replacement.

Flourescent to LED Conversion (Ballast Bypass)

Will LED bulbs work if ballast is bad?

Can LED lamps work off of existing ballasts? Yes, if they have an internal driver than can work off that ballast. Philips, for example, has designed a tube that is compatible with an existing electronic ballast.

Can I use LED bulbs in any fixture?

As long as the mounting base (socket) is the same size and type, you can use an LED bulb in an existing fixture. If the mounting base isn't the same size and type, the LED bulb will not fit the socket. You should never use a bulb with a higher wattage than what is recommended for the fixture.

Can you replace regular fluorescent tubes with LEDs?

Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.

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 .

What happens if you don't use ballast?

Without a ballast, a lamp or a bulb will rapidly increase its current draw and it can become uncontrollable as well. When a ballast is present in a lamp, the power becomes stable, and even if such lamps are connected to high power sources, the ballast will regulate the energy and avoid the current rise.

Can you use LED tubes with electronic ballast?

Ballast-compatible, "plug and play," or "direct drop-in" LED tubes make upgrading to cost-saving, long-life LED technology easy: simply take the fluorescent tubes out of your fixture and put the LED tubes in. However, direct drop-in LED tubes are compatible only with fixtures that have electronic ballasts.

Can you bypass a ballast on a fluorescent light?

If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. Nonetheless, if the existing fixture offers a shunted tombstone, you should replace it with a non-shunted variant.

Do LED Fluorescent lights need a starter?

Conventional fluorescent tubes need a starter. This starter provides ignition voltage. Naturally, this isn't necessary for LEDs, so the ignition voltage is superfluous. If you want to replace a traditional fluorescent bulb with an LED, then you must install a dummy starter or bypass the standard starter manually.

Can I replace a T12 fluorescent light tube with an LED tube?

T8 LED tubes won't fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they'll fit just fine. But here's some even better news: If you have a T12 fixture, conversion to LED is going to be even easier than with a T8 fixture. This is because T12 fixtures have non-shunted tombstones, exactly what you need for LED tubes.

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.

Are LED tubes brighter than fluorescent?

Fluorescent lights produce between 50 and 100 lumens per watt. By comparison, LEDs can produce roughly 130 lumens per watt. For example, a T5HO Commercial LED tube light uses only 25 watts to produce an output of 3334 lumens. In other words, LEDs require fewer watts to produce a brighter light.

Why can't you use LED bulbs in enclosed fixtures?

Enclosed fixtures that don't allow for proper ventilation can drastically affect the temperature of the LED bulb, causing it to overheat and shortening the lifespan of the bulb. That's why some bulbs will tell you not to use it in an enclosed ceiling fan or fully enclosed porch light fixture.

Why do my LED bulbs keep blowing?

The most common reasons for LED blowing out are high voltage, bad contacts, use of incompatible dimmer switch, or recessed lighting. Other causes include overheating due to not using the right fixtures, or simply a bad batch of lightbulbs!

What can go wrong with LED lights?

Do you need a special ballast for LED lights?

Do LED Lights Need Ballasts? An LED light does not require a ballast because it uses a component called a “driver” to regulate the power going into the bulb.

Can a ballast compatible LED be used without a ballast?

The T8 LED tube won't work without the ballast, so you are forced to continue buying and replacing ballasts as long as you have an LED tube that is ONLY ballast dependent.

Will LED tubes work with magnetic ballast?

These LED tubes are the newest, easiest to install and most expensive. They work with any kind of existing technology – whether it is T12 (Magnetic Ballast) or T8 (Electronic Ballast). To install them all you need to do is take the old fluorescent tube out and install the LED tube in its place.