T8 LINEAR TUBES
T8 Linear Replacement Tubes: We Make it Simple
At Gen One Four we want to make your transition from Fluorescent to LED as simple as possible. We will provide the components you need based on your preferences:
1. LED Tubes only
2. LED Tubes, lampholders, and wiring
3. Complete LED fixture (troffer) assembled with tubes, wiring etc.
4. Alternative LED Panel type drop in replacement fixture.
Items 3 and 4 only require removal of the existing fixture and installation of our drop in LED replacement troffer or panel light.
For replacement of tubes, wiring, and lampholders, it is important first to understand the differences between
dual power input LED tubes and single power input LED tubes.
Dual input power tubes are wired to both ends of the tube with the live power on one end and the neutral
power on the opposite end. Single input power tubes are wired to only one end of the tube with the live
power to one terminal and the neutral power to the second terminal on the same end.
Figure 1
Dual Power Input
Wiring Diagram
LIVE
NEUTRAL
LIVE
NEUTRAL
Figure 2
Single Power Input
Wiring Diagram
If you are retrofitting an existing fixture by removing the ballast, but using existing lampholders, the lampholders may be shunted or non-shunted based on the type of ballast. Therefore, we must understand the
differences between shunted and non-shunted lampholders, because dual input power tubes require shunted
lampholders and single input power tubes require non-shunted lampholders.
A shunted lampholder has both contact sides connected (dead short) and usually the wiring connection only
on one side. A non-shunted lampholder has separate contacts with wiring connections on both sides. Check
continuity with an OHM meter across the terminals to be certain. The shunted lampholder will show continuity; non-shunted will not.
Shunted
Lampholder
Non-Shunted
Lampholder
Next we will look at the wiring process for T8 Dual input power LED Replacement tubes.
NOVA/TCB USA
GEN ONE FOUR LED LIGHTING
WWW.GENONEFOUR.COM
2339 W. BEAVER CREEK DR
POWELL, TN 37849
T: 865-938-6822 EXT 60
C: 865-405-3152
F: 865-938-6837
T8 LINEAR TUBES
Retrofitting T12/T8 Fluorescent Tubes
TO REWIRE FOR T8 LED TUBES:
1. Remove power from fixture. Use a meter to confirm power is off. Cut the wires to the ballast and
remove ballast.
Cut wires close to ballast
Blue
Yellow
Black
T12 or T8
Fluourescent Ballast
White
Red
2. Using a wire nut (I like the plug in connectors) connect the black (live) power wire to the red and blue wires,
(Figure 4) and the white (neutral) power wire to the yellow wires (Figure 5). Confirm the Ground wire is connected properly to the fixture (Figure 6).
Connector
Connector
Figure 4
Figure 5
Blue
Ground
Connection
Figure 6
Yellow
Black
White
Red
Ground
Wire
STEP 3 FOR DUAL INPUT T8 LED TUBES ONLY: (For single input skip to step 4)
3. Then confirm the connection of the red and blue wires to individual lampholders to one end (Figure 7) and
the yellow wires and jumpers to the opposing lampholders (Figure 8). Lampholders should be shunted for
dual input tubes. Skip steps 4-6 and go to step 7 to finish.
Lamp Holder
Blue
Red
Figure 7
Yellow
Lamp Holder
Figure 8
NOVA/TCB USA
GEN ONE FOUR LED LIGHTING
WWW.GENONEFOUR.COM
2339 W. BEAVER CREEK DR
POWELL, TN 37849
T: 865-938-6822 EXT 60
C: 865-405-3152
F: 865-938-6837
T8 LINEAR TUBES
STEPS 4-6 FOR SINGLE INPUT T8 LED TUBES ONLY:
4. Now determine which end of the fixture you designate as the power input side. On the power input side of
the fixture, replace the shunted lampholders with non-shunted lampholders. You can confirm whether shunted by using a continuity meter (Figure 13) across the inside connection of the lampholder.
Figure 13
Shunted Lampholder
Non-Shunted Lampholder
On the non power end of the fixture, you do not need to replace the lampholders. Remove the wiring from the
non-input end lampholders.
Fig. 14
shunted
lampholder
Non power end of fixture
(no wiring)
5. Now connect the red and/or blue wires and jumpers (I mark with black tape to show connection to black
live wire) to one side of the individual, non-shunted lampholders on the input power end (Figure 15) and the
yellow wires and jumpers (I mark with white tape to show connection to white neutral wire) to the second side
of the individual, non-shunted lampholders on the input power end.
Fig. 15
White Tape
Black Tape
Jumpers from
1st to 2nd
Lampholder
Jumpers from
1st to 2nd
Lampholder
White Tape
Black Tape
6. For safety, at this point I use a meter to confirm all connections are secure and correct.
7. Replace the cover and install LED tubes. For single input, determine which end of the LED tube is the power
end and and install tubes in the input power lampholders (Figure 16).
Fig. 16
Cover
NOVA/TCB USA
GEN ONE FOUR LED LIGHTING
WWW.GENONEFOUR.COM
2339 W. BEAVER CREEK DR
POWELL, TN 37849
T: 865-938-6822 EXT 60
C: 865-405-3152
F: 865-938-6837