Key learnings:
- Tube Light Connection Definition: A tube light connection involves wiring various components like chokes, starters, and switches to ensure proper operation.
- Electromagnetic Ballast Setup: The electromagnetic ballast requires precise wiring of neutral and live wires, choke, and starter to operate the tube light.
- Electronic Ballast Setup: The electronic ballast simplifies the wiring process by eliminating the starter and using distinct input and output ports.
- Wiring Diagram Importance: Wiring diagrams use symbols to show the connections needed for installing tube lights, helping in proper setup and troubleshooting.
- Voltage Characteristics in Electronic Ballast: Electronic ballasts start with a high voltage to ignite the tube light, then stabilize to a lower operational voltage.
Required Wiring Components
A tube light doesn’t connect directly to the main supply. It runs on 230V, 50Hz, but needs extra components for proper operation. The components required for a single tube light installation are:
- Choke: it is electromagnetic ballast or electronic ballast
- Starter: Small neon glow up lamp
- Switch
- Wires
Please ensure that you take the appropriate electrical safety precautions when performing any kind of electrical installation.
Wiring Diagram of Single Tube Light Installation with Electromagnetic Ballast
Different electrical symbols are used to make the wiring diagram below:
How to Install a Single Tube Light with Electromagnetic Ballast
- From the junction box, the neutral wire goes directly to port 2 of the tube light, not the switchboard. A wire connects port 2 to pin 1 of terminal 2, continuing the neutral connection.
- The live wire goes from the junction box to the switchboard, connecting to one terminal of the switch. From the switch’s other terminal, the wire goes to port 1 of the tube light setup.
- One terminal of choke or ballast is connected to port 1 and another terminal is connected to pin 1 of terminal 1.
- One end of a starter is connected to pin 2 of terminal 1 and another end of the starter is connected to the pin 2 of terminal 2.
Wiring Diagram of Single Tube Light Installation with Electronic Ballast
How to Install a Single TubeLight with Electromagnetic Ballast
- As no starter is used in the case of electronic ballast application, the wiring diagram is slightly different.
- An electronic ballast has six ports: two for input and four for output. Ports 1 and 2 are for input, while ports 3, 4, 5, and 6 are for output.
- From the junction box the neutral wire is taken out and carried to port 2 of the electronic ballast to connect, as per figure above.
- The live wire or phase is taken from the junction box to the switch board. The live wire is connected to one terminal of the switch. From another terminal of the switch, the wire is carried up to tube light set up and connected to port 1 of the electronic ballast.
- Let, the color of wires from port 3 and port 4 are black, and from port 5 and port 6 are red or any other color.
- Port 3 and pin 2 of terminal 1 and Port 4 and pin 1 of terminal 1 are connected.
- Port 6 and pin 2 of terminal 2 and Port 5 and pin 1 of terminal 2 are connected.
[NB: The incoming voltage of port 1 and port 2 of the electronic ballast is only 230 V, 50 Hz. But output ports 3, 4, 5 and 6 give a very high voltage at the time of switch ON, may be 1000 V at 40 kHz or more. When tube light starts to operate, output ports voltages become below 230 V at 40 kHz or more.]
