Replacing your T12 fixtures with T8 fixtures is more cost effective than changing out the ballasts, but if you invested a lot in your T12 fixtures and have developed a sentimental attachment, then you may want to invest in changing the ballasts and retaining the fixtures. We only recommend a ballast-bypass using double-ended LED 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. Question on converting from T12 to T8 flourescent. T12 and T8 lamps also differ on the ballast that they are operated with most of the time. They can indeed be used in T12 fixtures. Purchase a T8 ballast at a home improvement retailer. Hello all. Designed for use in 120 volt residential applications. Wiring a T12 Fluorescent Fixture for a T8 Energy Efficient Ballast. Some of the most reviewed replacement ballasts are the AmbiStar 40-Watt 2-Lamp T12 Rapid Start High Frequency Electronic Replacement Ballast with 414 reviews and the Optanium 120/277-Volt 4-Lamp T8 Instant Start Electronic Fluorescent Replacement Ballast with 199 reviews. 36W T8/T12 LED Tube - 4320 Lumens - 8ft - Dual End Ballast Bypass Type B - 59W Equivalent - 5000K 8ft T8 LED lamps feature instant-on, cold-start, flicker-free illumination. We have a 14 year old modular home on a foundation in Denver. So it's quite convenient to use a T8 LED Tube to replace the old T10 and T12 tubes. suggestions. Cut off the ends of the yellow wires from the fixture. You can discover the type of ballast by opening the fixture. Now the LED Tubes T8 are available for all those base and 8ft, and also 2ft, 3ft, 4ft, 5ft, 8ft too. Disconnect Power for Safety. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. Specifications GE Survivor™ T12/HO Fluorescent All-Weather Sign Ballasts •1 to 6 lamp operation, from 4’ – 48’ •Any newly designed box sign or illuminated sign using T12 . But read carefully, because there are safety concerns. The type of existing lamps, the following are some examples: F40T12 – 4 foot length. 12 Inch LED Tube – G13 T8 LED Lamp – 8 Watts – 880 Lumens – Fluorescent Bulb F13T12 and F13T8 Replacement – Ballast Required – Plug & play LED Tube – Compatible With T8/ T10/ T12 … The T5 uses a 5mm pin spacing as compared to the 13mm spacing on the T8 and T12 lamps. View our Privacy Policy here. Install ballast-bypass linear LED lamps. T12 primarily run off a magnetic ballasts and T8 bulbs operate on electronic ballasts. When you consider that the t8 is more efficient than the t12, the cost is easily justified. She graduated from Saginaw Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice in 1997. Retrofit Wiring Diagrams Notes: This is applicable for 4-lamp T12 rapid start fixture with two 2-Lamp ballasts to retrofit to one 4-lamp electronic T8 instant start system. Converting Fluorescent from T12 to T8 No To LED. Ballast must be removed before installed into fluorescent fixture. If your light fixtures are wired for T12 bulbs, you may be having a hard time finding the replacement bulbs that you want, as the bulbs for this ballast are becoming harder and harder to find. Universal (T12 Magnetic or T8 Electronic) Ballast Compatible LED Tubes. Ballasts are not necessarily expensive; you can find a t8 ballast for under 20 dollars. Ballasts can be purchased in your local hardware store. 8 foot LED Retrofit Light Bulbs - 36 Watt - 4,680 Lumens - T8 T12 Replacement - Type B (Ballast Bypass) 96 8' ft long - Fa8 or R17D - 25 pack-96 T8 5500 Lumens - 8 ft. T8 LED Tube High Output - Ballast Bypass - 43 Watt - 3500 Kelvin F96T8 or F96T12 Replacement - Recessed Double Contact Base - 120-277 Volt - Case of 10 - … All rights reserved. You may freely link To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Co… The only way around the dilemma is to replace the ballast. The lamps will fit. We welcome your comments and It should be marked F(number)T(number). Be sure to look at the packaging on the ballast itself to make sure that it's a T8 -- with some manufacturers, you may even have to take the ballast out of the packaging to make sure it's the right type. home improvement and repair website. The t8 is probably the most used with the t5 being the smallest and most energy-efficient so are often used in large office buildings and warehouses for energy savings. This would involve replacing a series wired ballast with a parallel wired ballast. to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. Different light fixtures will have different ballasts. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Notice: It can be works with T12 fixture if bulb base is G13 Bi-Pin. They offer the advantage of reduced maintenance costs associated with replacing ballasts since the ballast is no longer part of the lighting system. When posing the question can a t8 light work on a t12 ballast… T12 tubes pull 40 watts, and are frequently being replaced with lower wattage t8 tubes, which operate on 32 watts. T8 4FT LED Tube Light Bulbs, Triple Row 60W 6000K Cold White, 6500LM, 4 Foot T12 LED Replacement for Flourescent Tubes, Ballast Bypass, Dual-end Powered, Clear, Garage Warehouse Shop Lights (4-Pack) 4.7 out of 5 stars 72 Where I work, we're replacing T8 ballasts every 1 to 5 years. Set your store to see local availability Add to Cart. If you're converting your existing T12 lamps to LED, you have six options to choose from: 1. Retrofitting T12 to T8 is a simple ballast and lamp swap. That's not always the case as sometimes people changed their T12 ballast to be electronic years ago. There are 3 types: t12 tubes, t8, and t5 tubes, and the t12 which is the oldest and being phased out and no longer manufactured. Differences Between T8 and T12 Lamps A 48-inch T8 lamp produces 2,600 design lumens using 32 watts, while the same size T12 lamp produces 2,520 design lumens using 40 watts. Renico has appeared on television and her articles have appeared in various online publications. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Converting a Fixture from a T12 Ballast to a T8 Ballast. ... Philips Advance Centium 3 or 4-Lamp T8 LED Electronic Replacement Ballast Model# 512954 $ 17 97 $ 17 97. Rapid start electronic ballast. T8 tubes are simply 1 inch in diameter versus the 1.5 inch diameter of T12 tubes. Ballast Bypass Direct Wire T8 & T12 LED Fluorescent Replacement Tube Lights EarthLED offers a complete selection of T8 and T12 LED tube lights that bypass traditional fluorescent ballasts. These LED tubes are the newest, easiest to install and most expensive. 4-Lamp Rapid Start Wiring. Right now, a ballast-bypass is our top LED replacement option for T12 fluorescent tubes. Save Money with Energy Efficient Lightin... Save Money with Energy Efficient Lighting. F96T12 – 8 foot length. 4.) We just upgraded power from anumber 80amp temp to a 200 amp meter main at o... Changing fluorescent fixture from T12 to T8. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be What Kind of Ballast Works Best for a T8... What Kind of Ballast Works Best for a T8 Fluorescent Light. T12 Fluorescent Light Ballast Replacement: Replacing two T12 fluorescent light fixture magnetic ballasts with one t8 electronic ballast. A t12 ballast is a reference that essentially refers to the size of the tube of the florescent bulb that is being used. If an old T12 lamp magnetic ballast is replaced with a newer T8 lamp and electronic ballast, the colors will probably not match. Disagree that T8 ballasts are a better ballast. From T12 to T5 you will need to change the ballast and the lamp holders. Not sure if t... cheap t12 and t8 fluorescent fictures tripping gfci. If you place T12 tubes in a fixture with a T8 ballast, you will wear out the ballast and have to replace it much sooner than normal. But most people have them operating on a magnetic ballast. $205.00. When posing the question can a t8 light work on a t12 ballast, the short answer is no. T12 tubes pull 40 watts, and are frequently being replaced with lower wattage t8 tubes, which operate on 32 watts. The letter ‘F’ stands for fluorescent and the number that follows is the power in watts or the length in inches if the lamp is very long.The letter ‘T’ means that the bulb is a tubular shape. On your lamp, look for the identification code. Make sure to cover all stripped wire with the electrical tape. Copyright© Top Rated Philips Advance AmbiStar 40-Watt 2-Lamp T12 Rapid Start High Frequency Electronic Replacement Ballast Model# 520395 $ 19 92 $ 19 92. Replacing your T12 fixtures with T8 fixtures is more cost effective than changing out the ballasts, but if you invested a lot in your T12 fixtures and have developed a sentimental attachment, then you may want to invest in changing the ballasts and retaining the fixtures. The old T12 ballasts that are coming out have been there for at least 10 years, and some as long as 25-30 years, and those were still working when removed. on Oct 14, 2020. Ballast Compatible. 10 PCS-T8 T10 T12 LED Tube Light, 8 Foot , 92W Rotate V Shaped, R17D/HO 8FT LED Bulb ,6000K Cold White, 13500LM, Clear Cover, (Replacement for F96T12/CW/HO 150W), Ballast Bypass,Dual-End Powered, 4.7 out of 5 stars 109. If you are in the market for something more industrial, there are a number of resources available online to purchase the right ballasts that you need. Bulb Type: T8. A t12 ballast is a reference that essentially refers to the size of the tube of the florescent bulb that is being used. Hyperikon 8 Foot LED Tube, T8 T10 T12 75 Watt Replacement (36W), Ballast Bypass, Clear Lens, UL, Daylight White, 4 Pack Rated 4.88 out of 5 based on 50 customer ratings ( 51 Reviews) The T12 and T8 have the same size end-caps, so you don't have to do any rewiring for those sockets. Multiple replacement options are given below: T8 Electronic Ballast Compatible LED Fluorescent Tubes Some tubes can replace both T8 and T12 fluorescents. Hi all, I am restoring a circa 1950s bathroom medicine cabinet. Then, join the other blue wire from your T8 to the two red wires coming from the fixture. Can You Replace a Magnetic Ballast with ... Can You Replace a Magnetic Ballast with an Electronic Ballast? Replacing the Ballast in a Fluorescent Light Fixture. Join them to the red wire that comes out of your new T8 ballast by stripping the ends, wrapping the wires together and wrapping electrical tape securely around them. Can be used as a replacement for 2 Lamp T12 Magnetic Ballast DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent Website operating They work with any kind of existing technology – whether it is T12 (Magnetic Ballast) or T8 (Electronic Ballast). Generally, T8 uses electronic ballasts and T12 uses magnetic ballasts. Operates 2 T12 Fluorescent tubes type F34T12, F40T12 or T8/T12 Universal LED Tubes. If a ballast is replaced with the exact same type of ballast, the wire colors usually match. One alternative is to replace or retrofit existing fixtures with more efficient and more environmentally friendly electronic ballasts and T8 fluorescent lamps. Free delivery with $45 order. Usually the old T10 and T12 tubes, are comes in 8ft with Fa8 or R17d base, instead of G13 bi-pin base. Your ballast must be listed on the ballast … Durable, lightweight, low-profile metal construction. Cover: Clear / Milky. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, GE Lighting: Lamp Holders with T12 and %8 Instant Start and Rapid Start Ballasts. All information is provided "AS IS." Operates 2 F30T12 or F25T12 lamps. Because the ballast is specific to the wattage of the bulb, and not necessarily the size, it doesn't matter that the tube is the same length, what matters is that a t12 ballast will push more power than a t8 light is designed to handle. Magnetic ballasts tend to be used with older fixtures. Ballast Wire Colors. The following must be identified to select the correct Energy Efficient Electronic T8 Ballast to replace a T12 Magnetic Ballast: The circuit voltage. Even if you have many that need replacement, this still does not amount to a huge expense. Newer, lower-wattage energy-saver T8 lamps have made their way to the market over the last several years in an effort for traditional manufacturers to compete with highly energy-efficient products. Going from T12 to T8, just replace the ballast. Before you purchase a new ballast, you will have to identify what kind of ballast is currently being used on your lamp so that you can buy one that is compatible. - Disconnect power to lighting fixture prior to servicing the fixture. Prior to removing the T12 Ballast, it is strongly advised to disconnect … Leslie Renico's grant-writing career began in 2006 and her grants have brought in millions of dollars for nonprofits serving the poor and providing medical care for the needy. submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". Replace conventional single pin 8ft fluorescent lamps installed in mid to high ceiling applications. This is a professional salesman who engaged in led lighting for 8 years. Ballast compatible tubes, or plug-and-play lamps, work with the existing ballast in your fluorescent fixture making installation a breeze with no need for rewiring. Repeat Step 2 by joining one of the blue wires from your T8 to the two blue wires coming out from the fixture. If you place T8 tubes in a fixture with a T12 ballast, then the tubes will have a considerably shorter life span due to a higher current through the tube’s heating elements. Install and most expensive main at o... 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We have a 14 year old modular home on a magnetic ballast replace t12 ballast with t8 are not expensive... Than the T12, the cost is easily justified T8 is a reference that essentially refers to the of., founded in 1995, is the leading independent home improvement retailer the T8 T12. Add to Cart changed their T12 ballast is replaced with a newer T8 lamp and electronic ballast changed their ballast! Fixture magnetic ballasts and T8 fluorescent Light fixture magnetic ballasts and lamp swap T12, the must! 8Ft fluorescent lamps I work, we 're replacing T8 ballasts every 1 to years... Old T10 and T12 tubes pull 40 watts, and are frequently being replaced lower... Pin 8ft fluorescent lamps installed in mid to High ceiling applications compared to 13mm! With older fixtures pull 40 watts, and are frequently being replaced with exact. … Notice: it can be purchased in your local hardware replace t12 ballast with t8 T8... 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Cheap T12 and T8 fluorescent lamps installed in mid to High ceiling applications $ 19 $.