Replacing Flourescent Fixtures: Do you prefer ........

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1.21 Gigawatts

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Norwalk, CT
Do you guys prefer:

bypassing the ballast by changing and wiring new tombstones to use with LED lamps

OR

Installing an LED ballast and replacing the old lamps with LED's.

I think the cost is about the same for both maybe more to use an LED ballast. Curious what you guys do.
 
I prefer installing direct-wire tubes. Leaving the ballast in as part of the fixtu..........err.......... luminaire......... is simply something that will eventually fail and need replaced.

I've never had to install new tombstones unless the existing ones are broken.
 
No ballast
No new tombstones unless:
1.) They are broken (as was already mentioned)
2.) Sometimes it's easier to just add new ones if it is one of the older types with a glob of wires
 
I've done it a few ways:
Single-end w/separate driver
Ballast compatible
Direct wire double-end

The first one I did at my son's school about 4 years ago. (1) 4-lamp wrap-around. 3 tubes are non-functioning, but I don't know yet if it's tubes or drivers - or mixed. So I need to rebuild it again.

Last year wired a restaurant with 2-lamp strips in basement. Easy thing was t8 strips w/ballast compatible tubes. Out of about 14 strips, 3 already have 1 tube not working. I think the rated life was 20,000 hours. Hopefully it's bad tubes, not ballasts.

I've done a bunch of direct wire tubes. 50,000 hour rating, I've replaced 1 or 2 in several years. Not to say they don't go bad, but customers can be taught how to change them. Easy maintenance.

Ditto on tombstones.
 
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