F30 Ballast Replacement

DLMc · 03-05-2012, 01:04 PM

The ballast has gone bad on an F30T single T12 bulb under counter light. The old ballast has 5 wires coming out of it, 2 red on one end and a white, blue, and black on the other. The white and blue went into one end and the 2 red in the other end of the bulb. The black then went to the switch on the fixture and another short wire came out of the white wire on the end of the bulb.

The new GE Ballast (the only one Home Depot had for an F30), has 6 wires, 2 red, 2 blue, and a white and black. The diagram shows two red go into one end of the bulb, the 2 blue in the other and the black an white to the house wiring. The blacke and white wires are confusing me. Do I still need a short wire coming out of one end of the bulb socket as it was hooked up before or do I just connect the black and white to the house service and switch?

I think I explained that correct!
Thanks.

joecaption · 03-05-2012, 01:09 PM

Not your ansewer but it may be cheaper and less trouble to just replace the whole fixture.

Missouri Bound · 03-05-2012, 01:15 PM

Just follow the diagram on the ballast. Ballasts have been re-engineered over the years.

It's not uncommon to have to rewire the fixture a bit to use a newer ballast

rrolleston · 03-05-2012, 01:18 PM

Bring the old ballast to an electrical supply house and they should be able to help you much better than that big box store.

joed · 03-05-2012, 05:25 PM

Hook it up as the diagram shows. Some versions of ballasts used to run the neutral through one end of the bulb connector. This one does not use that configuration.

kbsparky · 03-05-2012, 05:55 PM

Your old ballast required what is called a "circuit interrupting lampholder" -- the white wire disconnects power from the ballast when the bulb is removed.

The new ballast is electronic, and its internal circuitry is entirely different. It does not require the special socket. But, since you already have it, you can still use it --->

Here is what you do:

Connect the 2 red wires to the 2 reds at the one socket.

Connect one of the new blue wires to the single blue wire on the other socket.

Connect the other blue wire to both white wires on the other socket. This will ensure a good connection at the socket.

Take your incoming power leads and connect them color to color on the ballast.

Do NOT connect the incoming power to either of the white wires at the socket.

DLMc · 03-06-2012, 08:47 AM

Kb, I "think" your description is what I did for the hookup last night. I didn't use the "extra" white wire coming out of the light. I then hooked up the black and the white wires to the internal rotary switch of the lamp and the house wires coming into the light. It worked! So I'm assuming I hooked it up correctly......no smoke or sparks afterwards!

It was kind of a pain to reach/stretch where it is located, to hold it up, stuff all the wires in, and screw it to the fixture though with only two hands I needed a third.

One thing that appears to be different. The light is beside a radio and the AM signal is totally destroyed when the light is on. This happened with the old one but it wasn't quite as noisy. We just shut that light off if listening to the radio. Another 4ft flourscent that is under the counter right beside the radio doesn't do it just the one I just fixed. Is the noise something that is common with the newer ballasts?

Thanks again.

kbsparky · 03-07-2012, 08:17 AM

Unfortunately, many of the newer "electronic" ballasts utilize RF signals to make the bulbs illuminate. This can cause interference with nearby radios as you have discovered.

While using RF can be more energy efficient, it has its drawbacks, and you have stumbled upon one of them ....