How much is a ballast?
6 min read
Asked by: Jim Wisdom
A replacement ballast costs about $10-25 depending on capacity and brand. The bite is that an electrician trip charge (which includes 30 or 60 minutes work) is going to be $75-150 probably – for about 5 minutes work on each light fixture.
Can you replace a ballast yourself?
A typical ballast will generally last about 20 years, but cold environments and bad bulbs can decrease this lifespan significantly. You can get a new ballast at a hardware store or home center and install it in about 10 minutes.
How do I buy a ballast?
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 you know if a ballast is broken?
If your fluorescent lighting is displaying any of the signs below, it could be a symptom of a bad ballast:
- Flickering. …
- Buzzing. …
- Delayed start. …
- Low output. …
- Inconsistent lighting levels. …
- Switch to an electronic ballast, keep lamp. …
- Switch to an electronic ballast, switch to a T8 fluorescent.
Can a ballast be repaired?
While simply swapping burned out bulbs in an existing ballast is deemed “ballast repair” by many – and can offer advantages in longevity and energy savings – sometimes this simple “fix” is not enough.
How do I know which ballast to replace?
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 you change a ballast?
Piece out in the middle. And there's just some little clamps here but we just have to squeeze. And pull in a little bit. And now we have the ballast exposed. This is what we're gonna replace.
How much do light ballasts cost?
A replacement ballast costs about $10-25 depending on capacity and brand. The bite is that an electrician trip charge (which includes 30 or 60 minutes work) is going to be $75-150 probably – for about 5 minutes work on each light fixture.
What happens when a ballast goes bad?
The ballast itself can go bad, which causes lights to flicker or even appear to be burnt out, when in fact they aren’t. They require maintenance and energy to power, on top of the power used to light the fluorescent bulb. They are a large part of the equation when using fluorescent lamps.
How do you fix a dead ballast?
We can cut any wires that are holding the ballast in place. And once we've done this we can go ahead and remove the ballast. From the lighting fixture. Guys once you have the bottles removed.
How do I know what kind of fluorescent ballast I have?
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 fluorescent light ballasts the same?
Types of fluorescent ballasts
Fluorescent ballasts use three different types of starting technologies: rapid, instant, and programmed.
Are there different types of ballasts?
There are two categories of ballasts – magnetic and electronic. Magnetic ballasts are the most basic type and operate bulbs through a core and coil transformer.
What do the numbers mean on a fluorescent ballast?
The most common types are T12, T8, and T5. The T stands for tubular and the number indicates the diameter in 1/8 of an inch. Lamp diameter is determined by ballast type. A fixture with a T12 ballast must use a T12 bulb. A fixture with a T8 ballast must use a T8 bulb, etc.
What causes fluorescent lights to not come on?
If a fluorescent tube neither lights nor flickers when switched on, first check to see that the fixture is plugged in and that no fuse has blown or circuit breaker has tripped. If this does not help, try wiggling the tube gently in its sockets by rocking it back and forth and from side to side.
How do you check a ballast?
To measure it, set your digital multimeter to around a thousand ohms resistance setting. Connect the black leads to the white ground wire on your ballast. Afterward, test every other wire with the red lead. When you do this test, a good ballast will return an “open-loop” or max resistance.
Why do fluorescent ballasts fail?
Ballast failure is often caused by the surrounding environment—mainly heat and moisture. When it’s too hot or too cold, a ballast can burn or fail to start your lamps. Heat, along with continuous condensation inside an electronic ballast, can cause corrosion over time.
How long do fluorescent ballasts last?
12 to 15 years
According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use. The optimum economic life of a fluorescent lighting system with magnetic ballasts is usually about 15 years.
What happens when a ballast goes bad?
The ballast itself can go bad, which causes lights to flicker or even appear to be burnt out, when in fact they aren’t. They require maintenance and energy to power, on top of the power used to light the fluorescent bulb. They are a large part of the equation when using fluorescent lamps.
How do you replace a ballast in a fluorescent light?
We can cut any wires that are holding the ballast in place. And once we've done this we can go ahead and remove the ballast. From the lighting fixture. Guys once you have the bottles removed.
How much do light ballasts cost?
A replacement ballast costs about $10-25 depending on capacity and brand. The bite is that an electrician trip charge (which includes 30 or 60 minutes work) is going to be $75-150 probably – for about 5 minutes work on each light fixture.
How do you change a ballast without turning off power?
Remove the wire nut from one of the power wires and carefully strip about 1/2 inch of insulation from the end, making sure not to touch the end. Hold the ballast wire next to this wire with the stripped ends parallel but not touching. Quickly slip on the wire nut and screw onto the ends.
Why does my fluorescent light take a long time to come on?
Over time, the starter can wear down and ultimately take longer to do its job. Lights that take a long time to come on or flicker on and off without starting are common symptoms. If you suspect the starter may be the culprit, first check to make sure your light actually has one.
How do I know if fluorescent starter is bad?
The older the fluorescent tube is and the older the fluorescent starter is, the less efficient they are at igniting. A tube that takes more than a few seconds to start-up is a clear indicator that the tube and starter may need replacing.
Do all fluorescent lights need a ballast?
All fluorescent bulbs require a ballast. All compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs require a ballast, which is often integrated. All HID bulbs require a ballast, which is sometimes integrated. No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast.
Why do my fluorescent lights only work sometimes?
No electrical power due to a tripped breaker or blown fuse. A dead or dying ballast. A dead starter. A dead bulb.
