Grounding Fluorescent Light Ballast

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Will Wire

Senior Member
Location
California: NEC 2020
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Electrical Contractor
I was recently called to a job to fix the garage lights. The lights were fluorescent lights that needed the ballast and lamps replaced. The lighting circuit did not have an equipment ground due to the age of the house. All new ballast say that they must be grounded. Am I in violation to replace these ballast in these existing fixtures without grounding the fixture? Thank you, Trent
 
I would say yes also, if the instructions on the ballast say they must be grounded. 110.3 B
Have heard of some of the new electronic ballast not firing the lamps if not grounded.
 
I'll say yes as well, read through 410.40, 410.42, 410.44, and 410.46.

I thought flourscent was required to have the EGC to be with-in 6" of the ballast, but I can't find that one... ;)
 
t-bird said:
I was recently called to a job to fix the garage lights. The lights were fluorescent lights that needed the ballast and lamps replaced. The lighting circuit did not have an equipment ground due to the age of the house. All new ballast say that they must be grounded. Am I in violation to replace these ballast in these existing fixtures without grounding the fixture? Thank you, Trent[/QUOTE

Heres a good link.http://members.misty.com/don/f-lamp.html
fluorescent lights and ballast work from a ECG for starting the ballast give the lamps a shot of high voltage at both ends the end are called cathodes that have murcury and the bulb has argon gas and other stuff .when you turn the lights the ends heat up and cause an arc ,and that arc wants to connect on both ends so the electrons travel along the grouned cover and that is how the arc jump across for the lamp to light
. If the fixtures are not grouned there will allways be problems with starting and that gets worse the colder it gets.
Click to expand...
 
also your lights are in a garage does the temp fall below 60f and are they 8" H.O. FIXTIRES? If so you can buy cold temp lamps they are marked "CT" and 110 watts verses 95watt MISER LAMPS miser lamp do not get bright unless the temp is above 60f.
 
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