Retrofit Fixtures

Commercial Lighting and Retrofit Fixtures

Replacing fluorescent light fixtures and ballasts with modern LED technology is one of the fastest payback electrical upgrades a commercial building can make — and Norske Electric has been handling these retrofits across the Twin Cities metro for 18 years. You keep your existing fixture housings and swap out the internal components, cutting energy consumption by up to 60% without tearing up ceilings or disrupting your operation.

Norske Electric is licensed in Minnesota (license #EA005268), fully insured, and holds a BBB A+ rating along with Angie's List Super Service Award and Best of HomeAdvisor recognition. Owner Brevik Tharaldson built this company on straightforward work and honest assessments — we won't push a full replacement when a retrofit is the right call.

Fluorescent Ballast Replacement: What Changes

Most commercial buildings in the Twin Cities are still running magnetic or older T12/T8 fluorescent ballasts that were installed 15–25 years ago. These ballasts flicker, hum, and fail more frequently as they age — and when one goes, the whole fixture goes dark. That's a productivity problem and a safety liability.

A fluorescent light fixtures ballast retrofit replaces the ballast and lamp with a direct-wire LED driver and LED tube, or swaps the entire internal kit while keeping your existing troffer housing. You don't need new ceilings or new junction boxes. The job is cleaner and faster than most facility managers expect — a standard office floor can usually be completed in a single overnight shift.

Honestly, the magnetic ballast should have been phased out a decade ago. If your building still has them, you're paying a premium on your electric bill every single month for the privilege of keeping outdated equipment running.

How Xcel Energy Rebates Reduce Your Project Cost

Xcel Energy's commercial lighting rebate program covers a meaningful portion of retrofit projects for qualifying Minnesota businesses — and a lot of building owners leave that money on the table because the paperwork feels complicated. We handle the rebate submission as part of every commercial retrofit project. You get the incentive without spending your own time on forms.

Minnesota Power and Connexus customers have similar programs. The rebate amount depends on how many fixtures you're replacing and the energy reduction achieved. We calculate the projected savings and rebate eligibility before any work starts, so you know what the project actually costs net of incentives. No surprises on the invoice.

We don't subcontract this work out. The Norske Electric crew that shows up is the crew that finishes the job and signs the rebate documentation. That matters when the utility has questions.

What a Commercial Retrofit Project Looks Like

Every retrofit starts with a site walk. We count fixtures, identify ballast types, note ceiling access conditions, and flag any circuits that'll need attention before the LED drivers go in. That walk takes an hour for a typical office floor. You get a written scope and a timeline before we schedule anything.

Installation crews work around your business hours — evenings, weekends, or off-shift if you need it. A warehouse or office with 100–200 fixtures typically finishes in two to three overnight sessions. We test every circuit, confirm light output meets the spec, and clean up completely before your staff arrives in the morning.

After the job's done, we don't disappear. Norske Electric has been serving the same Twin Cities commercial clients for 18 years. If a driver fails under warranty or a circuit behaves unexpectedly six months later, you call the same number and get the same crew. That's how a family-owned company works.

Signs Your Fixtures Need Retrofit Now

Flickering lights aren't just annoying — they're usually a ballast starting to fail. A flickering T8 fluorescent is drawing full power while producing a fraction of its rated lumens. You're paying for light you're not getting.

Other signs it's time: tubes that take 30+ seconds to reach full brightness in cold weather (a classic symptom of magnetic ballast degradation), a persistent 60 Hz hum from the ceiling, or fixtures that cycle on and off without being touched. In Minnesota winters, cold-temperature ballast failure is especially common in loading docks, parking structures, and garages where temps drop below 50°F.

If your energy bills have crept up year-over-year without a clear cause, aging fluorescent ballasts are one of the first things to check. A lighting retrofit company that's done this work across the metro can usually spot the problem in the first walkthrough. Call (952) 443-4113 and we'll tell you straight whether a retrofit makes sense or whether you'd be better off with something else.

Should we Retrofit the Lighting in our Building?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lighting retrofit and how is it different from a full replacement?

A retrofit reuses your existing fixture housings and replaces only the internal components — lamps, ballasts, drivers — with modern LED equivalents. It's typically 30–50% cheaper than full fixture replacement, faster to install, and creates far less ceiling and wall damage in occupied commercial spaces. For most Twin Cities office and warehouse buildings, retrofit is the right call.

How quickly does a commercial LED retrofit pay for itself?

Most Twin Cities commercial retrofits pay back in 18–36 months through energy savings alone, and even faster once Xcel Energy's commercial lighting rebates are applied. Norske Electric provides a written ROI analysis with every retrofit proposal so you can see exactly when the project goes cash-flow positive — before you commit to anything.

Do you offer commercial lighting rebates through Xcel or other utilities?

Yes. Norske Electric handles Xcel Energy's One-Stop Efficiency Shop, Minnesota Power, and Connexus commercial lighting rebate programs. We manage the rebate paperwork as part of the project so you capture the full incentive — typically 20–60% of the project cost — without doing the legwork yourself.

Can you retrofit our lighting after hours to avoid disrupting our business?

Absolutely. The vast majority of commercial retrofits we complete are scheduled during evenings, weekends, or off-shift hours so your operations, customers, and tenants are never affected. Our crews come prepared to clean up and leave the space ready before the next business day starts.

How do I know if my building has fluorescent ballasts that need replacing?

Flickering lights, a persistent hum from fixtures, slow warm-up in cold weather, and tubes that cycle on and off are the most common signs. Minnesota's winters accelerate ballast degradation — especially in unheated spaces like parking structures and loading docks. If your building was constructed or last re-lamped before 2010, there's a strong chance you're still running T8 or T12 fluorescent ballasts that are overdue for replacement.

Are your lighting retrofit contractors licensed in Minnesota?

Yes. Norske Electric holds Minnesota electrical license #EA005268, is fully insured, and has maintained a BBB A+ rating for 18 years. Owner Brevik Tharaldson oversees every commercial project. We don't use unlicensed subcontractors on retrofit work — the people who show up are Norske Electric employees.

What types of commercial buildings do you retrofit?

We retrofit offices, warehouses, retail spaces, medical facilities, schools, and multi-tenant commercial buildings across the Twin Cities metro. Any space running fluorescent fixtures is a candidate. We've handled everything from a single-floor professional office to a 200,000 sq ft distribution center — the assessment process is the same regardless of size.

Serving the Twin Cities Metro

Norske Electric serves businesses throughout the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area, including Apple Valley, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Excelsior, Golden Valley, Lakeville, Maple Grove, Medina, Minnetonka, Orono, Plymouth, and Savage. Our licensed, bonded, and insured electricians dispatch from our offices in Hamel and Savage and respond quickly to projects of every size. Call (952) 443-4113 for a free estimate or to schedule service.