How to Hook Up an UltraStart T8 GE-332-MVPS-XL

Turn off power to the fixture at the circuit breaker. Remove the fixture light-diffuser. Remove the fluorescent lamps and set them aside in a safe place. Remove the light deflector or ballast cover.

Disconnect the electrical service wires from the ballast. Remove the wire nut connecting the black ballast wire to the hot wire from the fixture, which is usually black or red in color. Remove the wire nut connecting the white ballast wire to the neutral wire from the fixture, which is usually white. Disconnect the green ballast wire from the fixture ground by either removing it from the fixture ground screw or removing the wire nut connecting it to the fixture green or bare copper ground wire. Cut the wires running from the old ballast to the lamp-holders. Select a location to cut the wires where there is sufficient room to reconnect the wires to the new ballast with wire nuts.

Hold the old ballast with one hand so it doesn't fall. Remove the mounting nuts holding the ballast in place with a nut driver. Set the ballast aside.

Scrape away any paint surrounding the mounting holes on the new ballast to ensure metal-to-metal contact between the ballast and the fixture. Position the ballast on the mounting lugs. Hold the ballast in place with one hand while fastening it to the fixture. Tighten the mounting nuts securely with a nut driver.

Strip one-half inch of insulation from the ends of the new ballast wires. Connect the black ballast wire to the fixture hot wire with a wire nut. Connect the white ballast wire to the fixture neutral wire with a wire nut. Connect the green wire from the ballast to the fixture ground screw or wire. Connect the yellow wire or wires running from the left terminal of each lamp-holder to one of the yellow ballast wires with a wire nut. Connect the other yellow ballast wire to the yellow wire or wires running from the right terminal of each lamp-holder and connect them with a wire nut. Use wire nuts to connect the six wires coming from the remaining three lamp-holders to the six matching color wires from the ballast -- red to red, blue to blue and red-white to red-white -- one wire for each terminal of the matching color lamp-holder.

Arrange the wires so they will fit neatly under the ballast cover, using electrical tape if necessary. Reinstall the ballast cover. Reinstall the fluorescent lamps. Reinstall the light diffuser. Turn on the power at the circuit breaker and check the fixture for proper operation.