Bonus question: Several places on the web mantioned that a ground
connection to the fixture is essential for the lights to work. These have
worked for 10 years without the ground - the original installer did not
bring good ground to the lights.

Will lack of ground reduce the life of the ballasts?



No, but without a ground the lamps may not start, especially if the
humidity is high or the temperature in the room is low. Some
lamps/ballasts seem less prone to this than others but if a fixture
works sporadically then I usually check the ground first.