Hi folks I'm swapping out an old T12 flouro for an LED tube in order to prevent flicker in video recordings. I've found the unit I want to use. It's single ended (fine) and requires me to bypass the ballast gubbins and connect directly to the power coming in from the ceiling. Having opened the fitting up, I can see what needs to go where but what I'm not sure of is what wire I should be using to make that connection. Internally, it's all done with slim wire labelled "227 IEC 07" but I'm figuring that may not be suitable in bypass - though happy to be told otherwise! Thanks
You need to disconnect the white wires from where you connect the supply. Then disconnect the white wires from the ballast which go to each end of the fitting and insert them into where you connect the supply. One of the wires from the ballast to the ends of the fitting will pass through the starter. You need to either replace the starter with a solid link, or re-arrange the wiring so the starter is bypassed.
Thanks Spinlondon The manufacturer states I need to bypass altogether - so I'm planning to take that route by connecting directly from one end of the fitting to the terminal block. I'll just disconnect the other end as that's not used by the LED tube. I re read my original post and realised it's a little ambiguous. What I'm really looking for is what spec / gauge of wire I need to be using inside the fitting. I could just reorganise what's already in there but it wouldn't be correctly colour coded and I wouldn't want to leave it that way. Thanks Matt
In the past, I just used the existing white wires. They don't need to be colour coded, as they are part of the fitting and not covered by BS7671. I assume they are rated appropriately. Can be tricky removing the grubbins in situ.
The new starter normally provided with the LED tube is a fuse, the supply runs to pin one end, then from other pin on that end to old starter holder with the new fuse in then from other connection to pin other end of tube and then from pin next to it to other end of supply. This means the tube is fused and it does not matter which way around the tube is fitted, since fused the original thin wire is good enough. The tube would work by just taking the live wires line and neutral to supply end of tube, however then there is no fuse, and if tube put in wrong way around it is a direct short. With a wire wound ballast the LED tube will work without removing it, although if removed then less energy is used. With an electronic ballast it must be removed, however often there is no provision to fit the fuse which replaces the starter. Some lamps have a 3 amp fuse anyway so not a problem.
Do we need to label these altered luminaires to show that their is no choke in line and ONLY LED lamps should be fitted? It seems to me to be a dodgy thing to do as you are changing the basic design of the luminaire.
Yes mine came with warning sticker, however I had not realised until after conversion that one end is supply and other end short circuit, so simply power to one end, this means if tube inserted wrong way around it is a direct short. Also 28W and 2800 lumen looks good until you realise the fluorescent was 65W now 58W which was why replaced with LED could not buy 65W tubes, but they had an output of around 5600 lumen, that is a huge drop in light output.
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