Converting your existing fluorescent lights to Philips Instant Fit is a great option. They are energy efficient and do not contain any mercury. Similarly, the tubes fit into the existing linear fluorescent fixtures and require an electric ballast.
The Philips InstantFit LED T8 is a linear LED retrofit that replaces 4’ T8 fluorescent lamps. It requires no wiring, so you are saving on maintenance and labor cost. Philips Hue is an amazing company and composes hundreds of different fixtures to cater to all your needs.
Yes, Philips Instantfit bulbs need a ballast.
They are the number one lighting option in most homes in America. Hence, the reason their Instantfit is tested in a variety of ballast is to ensure ballast compatibility. However, many customers have complained that these fixtures do not work with their existing ballast. So check the compatibility list of your ballast before purchasing.
What happens if you don’t use a ballast?
A ballast regulates the current to the tubes and provides sufficient voltage to start them. Without a ballast, a fluorescent bulb will increase its current with nothing to control it.
Moreover, when the ballast is present in a lamp, the power becomes stable, so even if the power increase, the ballast will regulate the energy to avoid overheating.
If your tube ballast is burned out, replacing the bulb will not work. You’ll need to purchase a new ballast because your fixture will not light.
What Does A Ballast Do For Led Lights?
LED bulbs and fluorescent tubes need a device to regulate the current going through them. Fluorescent lights have a ballast that controls the flow of current through the tube. It regulates the amount of electricity required to light up the bulb.
This is the ballast you may have heard of before—just a simple, single-purpose device that helps fluorescent lights work. LEDs, on the other hand, require a different kind of ballast.
They don’t need any sort of ballast at all to turn on and work correctly. Instead, they have something called an LED driver built directly into them.
This part works as an internal regulator and converter for the LED bulb’s electricity, so it can do its job effectively. The LED driver does not need to be purchased separately from an LED fixture, nor does it need to be installed as other types of ballasts might (like an electronic or magnetic core-and-coil ballast).
It simply works when you plug your LED in.
Do I Need To Remove My Ballast For Philips Instantfit To Work?
One of the cool features of InstantFit LEDs is that they can work with ballasts even if you had it for ten years prior. Philips Hue Instantfit requires a ballast, so do not remove it. This procedure can be time-consuming.
