# Replacing florescent lighting ballast

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replacing-florescent-lighting-ballast/1024481>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 1, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replacing-florescent-lighting-ballast/1024481 "2025-11-01T17:33:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replacing-florescent-lighting-ballast/1024481/21 "2025-11-03T20:38:52Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Pull it all, and replace with LED bulbs.

Lol. You think I should pull out multiple 2’x4’ florescent lighting fixtures and install what - brand new fixtures? What does that accomplish over the many other easy fix solutions in this thread?

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replacing-florescent-lighting-ballast/1024481/22 "2025-11-03T20:45:14Z")

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> [@Munch](#):
>
> Lol. You think I should pull out multiple 2’x4’ florescent lighting fixtures and install what - brand new fixtures? What does that accomplish over the many other easy fix solutions in this thread?

I meant you wont need the ballast anymore, use the ballast bypass method.

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replacing-florescent-lighting-ballast/1024481/23 "2025-11-03T20:53:35Z")

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Ballast bypass bulbs retain the current fixture (the LED elements are shaped like and connect like fluorescent tubes), and only minimal electrical and carpentry work (cutting wires to ballast, connecting tube connectors (“tombstones”) directly to main current (“bypass”), replacing fluorescent tubes with LED elements.

Randomly-selected DIY video:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zc-29W_p1M4/maxresdefault.jpg "Convert Fluorescent Tube Lights to LED - Easy Ballast Bypass Instructional | Builds by Maz") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc-29W_p1M4)

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