Tombstone Lampholder Wiring - Electrical 101 (2024)

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Instant Start Ballast Wiring Diagram using Non-Shunted Tombstones

Rapid Start Ballast Wiring Diagram using Non-Shunted Tombstones

How to Remove a Wire from a Push-in Connector

Grasp the wire and twist it (rotate) while gently pulling on the wire until it comes out. If not done properly, the wire could break off before it becomes unseated from the connector.

Tombstone Lampholders Swap Terminals on Non-Shunted Tombstones

Tombstone sockets hold fluorescent and LED tubes in place on a light fixture. Wires from the ballast plug into push-in connectors in the tombstones that connect to the pins of the lamp.

Shunted Tombstones

Shunted tombstones for instant start ballasts hold up to two 18 AWG wires, are connected together internally, and connect to both sides of the lampholder socket.

In the diagram below (2 lamp instant start ballast), the individual blue wires connect from the ballast to each of the lampholders on one side of each lamp.

The common red wire connects from the ballast to both of the lampholders on the other side of each lamp. An additional red wire connects the two common side tombstones together.

Non-Shunted Tombstones

Non-shunted tombstones for rapid start ballasts each hold four 18 AWG wires. The two push-in connectors on the left side are connected together and to the left side of the holder internally. The two push-in connectors on the right side are connected together and to the right side of the holder internally.

In the diagram below, the individual blue wires connect from the ballast to push-in connectors on each side of the left holder of lamp 1. The other individual red wires connect from the ballast to push-in connectors on each side of the left holder of lamp 2.

The common yellow wires connect from the ballast to push-in connectors on one of the right holders of lamp 1 or 2. Two yellow wires connect the common tombstones together.

Fluorescent Ballasts

Ballast Wiring

Instant Start Wiring

Rapid Start Wiring 1 to 3 Lamps

Rapid Start Wiring 4 Lamps

Dimming Ballast Wiring

CFL Ballast Wiring

Emergency Ballasts

Tombstone Lampholders

Tombstone Wiring

Instant Start Tombstone Wiring

Rapid Start Tombstone Wiring 2 and 4 Lamps

Rapid Start Tombstone Wiring 3 Lamps

Swap Terminals on Non-Shunted Tombstones

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