How do I choose a replacement ballast?

Asked by: Gina Gonzalez

How do I know what kind of ballast I need?

When purchasing a ballast, you’ll need to read the type of lamps it’s designed for, how many lamps it operates, and the voltage the lamps will run on. Choosing the right ballast for a lamp will optimize the light output and life of the bulb.

How do I know if a ballast is compatible?

You can determine whether you have a compatible fixture in seconds. Simply turn the light on, then take a photo of the fixture using your smartphone or digital camera. If there are no dark bands on the resulting image, you have an electronic ballast that will work with direct drop-in LED tubes.

Are all ballasts the same?

And there are two types of ballasts in each family: magnetic and electronic. Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology. For the fluorescent family, both T12 linear fluorescents and two-pin CFLs use magnetic ballasts. For HIDs, some metal halides and HPS lamps use magnetic ballasts.

Are light ballasts interchangeable?

Matching ANSI codes guarantees that the ballast you chose can be used with your lamp. However, ballasts are often compatible with more than one lamp, and vice versa.

How do I know what ballast to use in my fluorescent light?

The only things that matter when you're replacing a ballast are we're number one the number of bulbs number two the type of bulbs number three the voltage.

How do I know if I have a T8 or T12 ballast?

If no markings are available, the size in diameter of the tube is the easiest way to determine the type you have installed. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.

What are the different types of ballast?

Ballast – Functions and Types

• Broken stone Ballast.
• Sand Ballast.
• Gravel Ballast.
• Moorum Ballast.
• Coal Ash or Cinder Ballast.
• Brickbat Ballast.

Can a fluorescent light work without a ballast?

In a fluorescent lighting system, the ballast regulates the current to the lamps and provides sufficient voltage to start the lamps. Without a ballast to limit its current, a fluorescent lamp connected directly to a high voltage power source would rapidly and uncontrollably increase its current draw.

Do you have to bypass ballast for LED lights?

An LED light does not require a ballast because it uses a component called a “driver” to regulate the power going into the bulb.

Are T8 and T12 ballast interchangeable?

Waveform Lighting’s T8 LED tube lights feature compatibility with all ballast configurations (ballast, ballast bypass single ended, ballast bypass double ended), so they can safely be used in T12 fixtures as long as the T12 ballast is bypassed or removed.

What happens if you wire a ballast wrong?

If a ballast fails, it can cause a short, burn out tubes or even cause a fire, so it must be replaced. Lights that don’t turn on, fluorescent tubes blackened near their ends, and brown, burnt tube electrodes are all indicators that a ballast is bad.

What is the difference between magnetic and electronic ballast?

Magnetic ballasts work at a frequency of around 60 Hz, whereas electronic ballasts work at an increased frequency of around 20,000 Hz. This is why fluorescent lamps using electronic ballasts do not flicker or emit any buzzing sounds. Electronic ballasts are also quite smaller in size and weight.

Can a magnetic ballast be replaced with an electronic ballast?

Fortunately, compatibility isn’t really an issue, as most electronic ballasts have been designed to replace existing magnetic ballasts. A preferable electronic ballast is the T8 model. This option has several advantages over the T10 and T12, including improved lighting efficiency.

Can you mix magnetic and electronic ballasts?

There is no problem with replacing the magnetic ballasts with electronic ballasts, one at a time, light fixture by fixture, just keep track of the type of lamps that are specified on the label of the new electronic ballasts which will most likely be the T8 type lamps.