Retrofitting LED's into fluorescent fixtures

MountaineerTom

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My workshop has six fluorescent fixtures. Each fixture has two 8 foot bulbs that have the single pin on each end. I want to remove the ballast and retrofit some LED's. I've watched countless YouTube videos and internet pages but can't come to a definite answer on how to do this. It doesn't help that I always second guess myself with any electrical stuff.

Here's what I have:

Workshop was build in the mid 90's, ('94 if I remember correctly from the paperwork) so I'm assuming that's when the fixtures went in. I'm pretty sure the ballasts are magnetic based on the name on the tag (MagneTek}.

The ballast has 1 blue wire going to a spring loaded tombstone on one end and 1 red wire going to the other spring loaded tombstone on that same end.

The other end of the ballast has 1 black load wire going to one fixed tombstone on the opposite end of the fixture. That same tombstone has a black wire lead that connects to the incoming black load wire from the structure. The ballast also has one white neutral wire going to the other fixed tombstone with a white wire lead that connects to the incoming white neutral wire from the structure.

I have some 1 amp inline fuses to put on the load side of each fixture.

Any tips on how to properly wire this up?


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These are the LED tubes I'm planning on using The included instructions seem simple enough, but not simple enough to make me feel confident, if that makes sense.
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I just realized that maybe I should have put this in the Shop & Tool Talk forum. Move as needed.
 
Are the ends or terminals on the replacement tubes the same? The instructions look like they have two external prongs. Which would mean switching pedestals.

I did mine several years ago, disconnect the line voltage from the ballast, cut the output wires from the ballast to the pedestals and connect the line voltage to the pedestals. I removed the ballasts. Your's has an inline fuse to incorporate. Mine didn't.
 
Are the ends or terminals on the replacement tubes the same? The instructions look like they have two external prongs. Which would mean switching pedestals.

I did mine several years ago, disconnect the line voltage from the ballast, cut the output wires from the ballast to the pedestals and connect the line voltage to the pedestals. I removed the ballasts. Your's has an inline fuse to incorporate. Mine didn't.

The new tubes have the same ends. They didn't come with the inline fuses, I just purchased them based on the instructions. From my understanding, it's to protect against someone accidently installing a fluorecent tube in the future.

My problem is knowing which wire to connect where. Basically what route to take with the new wiring as in from load wire to tombstone X, then to tombstone Y, them tombstone Z, then to the neutral wire. o_O
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I preface this with:
Do you know the difference between an electrician and a farmer?
The electrician doesn’t think he can farm!

Mine were the high output light with the two prongs per side. I took the hot line voltage to the blue and red pedestals and the neutral to the white and black pedestals.

Fuse idea is good!
 
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Fuse the black line voltage.

I took out my ballasts they we’re probably 40 years old and leaky.

In that drawing, where I drew the fuse is the main black line wire going into the tombstone. I should put the fuse on the black line wire after the tombstone?

I plan to totally remove the ballast too.
 
In that drawing, where I drew the fuse is the main black line wire going into the tombstone. I should put the fuse on the black line wire after the tombstone?

I plan to totally remove the ballast too.

With the ballast removed it gets clearer to see. Fuse the hot line voltage going to one end pedestals. And neutral to the other set of pedestals.
 
Ballast is just another name for a transformer used to increase the voltage high enough to energize the florescents. You don't need it.
Turn off the power at the breaker or fuse panel.
Remove the ballast and discard.
You don't need the inline fuse.
You should now have a black and a white wire. Connect the black wire to one end of both lamp sockets.
Connect the white wire to the other end of both lamp sockets.
Install the new lamps.
Turn the power back on.
Enjoy.
 
I did get them all rewired and ballast removed. So much brighter!!

Thank you both for your help.

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