# T8 light fixture rewire - help needed



## DKRST (Jan 11, 2011)

Electrical gurus, I need help!
I want to use two T8 bulbs on my tank but I want one in front and one in back to spread the light a bit. I can buy two dual-bulb shoplight fixtures with reflectors for $30 @ a big-box store (so, IMHO it would be silly to pay more).

Can a dual-bulb T8 fixture be rewired to drive only a single bulb by just connecting/disconnecting the correct wires? Seems like it should be easy. 
The next question is how do I rework the T8 fixture to 1 bulb, in terms of the wiring? It's not as simple as disconnecting the wires, I'm assuming, or I could just leave a bulb out. I know leaving one bulb out won't work.
:-?


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

I'm DEFINITELY not an electrical guru! Just wondering if you figured this out? Sounds like an interesting project!


----------



## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

All of the shop lights I've bought have had to be assembled at home.
You get the reflector, a pre-wired ballast, and the sockets for the lightbulbs and have to put it together.
Your light should come with a ballast that has 4 wires coming out of either end of it, two in one color, and two in the the other.
The simplest thing to try would be to simply wire nut one wire of each color and only hook up one set of sockets. The bulbs are set up to run in parallel rather than serially so it should work.
IF you get really lucky and have a dual ballast lamp just keep one in a drawer for a spare.
You could also try asking the guys at the store, they tend to know a bit about the area they're working in and will usually know who to ask if they don't.


----------



## DKRST (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks Ogre44. I also had a very helpful PM from Mikaila31.

I bought yet another tank, an Aqueon 36 Bowfront w/full T8 hood, heater, and HOB for $99 on Friday. Since I'm going to shut down two smaller tanks, I have a couple of T5HO fixtures now available after playing "musical aquarium lights" among my 7 tanks. Turns out I don't need the T8's at the moment.


----------



## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Thanks for the input, Ogre,
Good to hear she got you on the right track, that was just who's name popped into mind when I saw your thread!
Laughing at musical tank lights - I just play musical tanks, in general! XP 

Happy Tanking! ^__^


----------



## jstplncrz (Jan 30, 2014)

*I'm Jus' sayin*

I am a little late on this.... but couldn't you just use 2 single bulb fixtures, or, since I'm new to this, is there some requirement I'm not aware of?


----------



## DKRST (Jan 11, 2011)

jstplncrz said:


> I am a little late on this.... but couldn't you just use 2 single bulb fixtures, or, since I'm new to this, is there some requirement I'm not aware of?


Yep, I could have, but the dual fixtures are so much cheaper at the hardware stores than a single "aquarium" light. I also wanted something with a reflector that I could just sit on top of the tank's glass cover.

As I said earlier, moot point now, but good info to have in the future.


----------

