do ballast compatible leds require a ballast
â¢ A ballast-compatible LED tube light will not work without a working ballast. The life of a ballast is limited. Any good LED. tube light will outlive an electronic ballast. A ballast-compatible LED tube light will require regular replacements for as. long as the tube light lasts. When the ballast fails, a new ballast will need to be purchased and installed to keep the. ballast-compatible tubes working. Multiply this by hundreds of fixtures throughout a facility, and the incurred cost.