I recently bought a new ballast for a fluorescent fixture in my garage and realized that it is a T8 instant start ballast, not a T12 rapid start. So I'm trying to retrofit the fixture.

I have figured out that I need to connect the bipins on each socket together, but my main stumbling block is figuring out what to do with the one red wire. The ballast has two blue wires, which I've figured one goes to a socket on one lamp and another to a socket on the other lamp. But how do I connect the one red wire? Do I need to somehow connect the two lamps on one end with a 'not supplied' wire?

A visual diagram would be helpful. The diagram on the ballast isn't too helpful with the red wire, and the instructions aren't great either.

Thanks...

 

The ballast has a drawing on it. Connect it according to the drawing.
It sounds like the ballasts we use and the red wire connects to two sockets, one from each tube.

 

the diagram on the right using two lamps is the one you want. You are changing to T-8 lamps too, correct?

 

How am I supposed to split the one red wire coming out of the ballast so that it can connect to both of the lamps? Do I need to use a wirenut to split it out to both of the sockets on the right side (according to the diagram posted below).

 

most lamp terminals have at least and up to 4 holes for wires in them so you can do exactly like the picture.

Notice that at each terminal, they jump from across to each side of the terminal. If the terminal is shunted already, you would not have to do this.

 

If the lamps are side by side just take the four wires from the existing sockets and connect them to the one red wire from the ballast. Five wires in a wire nut.