How To Change A Ballast On A Fluorescent Light
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Know When to Replace Your Fluorescent Light Ballast
Fluorescent lights are an energy-efficient culling to traditional incandescent bulbs, but can go a nuisance if they start flickering halfway through the day.
Oftentimes, the reason for flickering lights is a declining bulb.
Simply sometimes the ballast mechanism itself is the culprit. The good thing is that fluorescent light ballasts are easy to test and replace.
What is a Fluorescent Light Anchor?
The ballast in a fluorescent lighting system is the mechanism that regulates the current to the lamps and provides the correct voltage needed to first the lamps.
Without this ballast, there would be nothing to regulate the increasing current and the bulb would burn out in seconds one time the lamp was turned on.
Older ballasts are chosen magnetic ballasts. They rely on incremental regulation of the electricity running through the lamp. If your fluorescent lamp buzzes or hums, it'southward likely because of this older ballast model. This is because the current flows through copper wire coils earlier information technology moves on to the light bulb.
When the current hits the copper, information technology creates a magnetic field that stops well-nigh of the electric current that would have continued to flow to the seedling. This style, merely small increments of current actually proceed to the bulb and the light doesn't overheat and burn out.
Newer ballasts are electronic, which allows it to put out multiple electric frequencies without needing to modify the input voltage. The advanced electronics in a modern ballast regulates the current more effectively, reducing both the flicker and the noticeable hum that you usually associate with fluorescent lights.
Iii Unlike Types of Electronic Ballasts
Electronic fluorescent ballasts by and large are manufactured with one of three operating modes: rapid start, programmed outset, and instant starting time.
Rapid Offset Ballasts
A rapid offset ballast relies on a preheating method that keeps the mechanism always primed to instantly light the bulb when the switch is turned on. The trouble with this type is that the lamp will have trouble turning on if it is sitting in sub 50-degree climates. So if y'all're installing a fluorescent low-cal in a walk-in freezer, this is not the most reliable ballast mechanism for the job.
Programmed Offset Ballasts
Programmed start ballasts are the usual pick if your lights are connected to a motion sensor. Motion sensors and programmed start ballasts are a more energy-efficient option for office lighting, every bit they can maximize the number of lamp starting cycles while conserving energy.
Instant Outset Ballasts
Instant start ballasts are not heated before the light is switched on. These types of ballasts take a high starting voltage that assistance start the discharge beyond the unheated electrodes. This option is more reliable than rapid start ballasts considering you tin start your lamp at lower temperatures.
How Practice Yous Know When It's Time to Modify the Ballast?
Some of the most obvious signs of anchor failure are speedily flickering or buzzing lights. The bulbs may exist dim when they shouldn't exist, or modify colors.
If y'all see these things happening, and then information technology may be time to change the ballast.
A good mode to check if the ballast is going back is to offset replace the bulbs in the fixture. If you install new bulbs and your lights are still flickering, then information technology'southward time to look at the ballast itself.
Testing Your Fluorescent Light Anchor
If y'all demand to test your fluorescent light anchor, you lot can can do so pretty hands. All you need is a phillips or slotted screwdriver and a volt-ohm meter.
First, disconnect ability to the light by unplugging it or shutting off power to the room through the breaker box. Look a few minutes to let whatsoever stored electric current in the ballast to dissipate, so remove the bulb from the fixtures.
Y'all can just pull U-shaped bulbs from their sockets, as they are secured with tension springs. Y'all'll need to unscrew direct fluorescent bulbs to release them from the sockets.
Be sure to advisedly store your bulbs away from your workspace so they don't get broken.
If the anchor isn't already exposed, remove the anchor cover from the fixture using the screwdriver. Double check the comprehend to brand sure at that place isn't whatsoever oil leaking from the ballast. If in that location is oil nowadays, and then you lot'll need to replace the entire ballast, as the internal seal has been damaged by excessive heat from the light.
To bank check to make sure the ballast is working properly, have your volt-ohm meter and examination the high voltage side of the ballast. Y'all're looking for continuity between the wires and the sockets. Turn your multimeter to the "ohms" setting and identify ane probe in to the wire connector that holds the white wires together. So touch the other probe to the ends of the blue, red, and yellow wires leading from the ballast.
If the anchor is bad and needs to be replaced, the needle on the multimeter won't motility or the screen will read that in that location isn't a continuous circuit. If the ballast is notwithstanding practiced, you'll see the needle move or an indication that the circuit is continuous. Make sure to cheque all the wire pairs and see that they are positive. If in that location are, check the low voltage side.
To test the low voltage side of the transformer, remove the nuts from the black and white wire that are connected to the ability feed side of your ballast. Touch the probes of your multimeter to the black and white wires. If it shows a continuous circuit, then your ballast is fine and doesn't need to be replaced.
If you've tested both sides of the ballast and yous're still having trouble with flickering lights, then information technology'southward possible a wire is loose in the bulb sockets themselves. Bank check to make sure all the connections are solid and then reassemble your light.
Replacing Your Failing Fluorescent Lite Anchor
If you demand to replace your ballast later testing information technology, go on the electricity off to the fixture and remove the ballast encompass if you haven't done then already.
Depending on the blazon of cover, you may have to unscrew the bolts holding information technology in place. Once you've removed the cover, snip the onetime wiring several inches from the end of the anchor with side-cutting pliers or wire snips. Make sure to cutting all the wires that connect to the old ballast.
Once yous've disconnected the wiring, unscrew the mounting hardware and drib the old ballast from its mounted position. Commonly there will be at least two mounting nuts that you'll need to unscrew.
It is important that you lot take this with y'all to the store to ensure yous are ownership a new anchor that matches the quondam ane. Yous need to be sure that the new ballast has matching wiring, voltage, and current earlier y'all buy it.
Sometimes, it may be more expensive to buy a new ballast than to purchase a completely new fixture, so it's recommended that you practice a little price shopping before yous brand your purchase.
If you lot decided to replace but the ballast, mounting the new one in your fixture is pretty simple.
Get-go, mountain the new ballast with the mounting nuts, then strip the electric wiring dorsum about a one-half-inch on both the new ballast wiring and the original wiring left over from the sometime mount. Connect the wires with matching colors and use twist-wire connectors to ensure a solid connectedness.
Once that is complete, you should be finished.
Supercede the cover and reassemble the light. Flip the breaker back on and exam the low-cal. If everything is washed correctly, then your light should exist working properly.
Old ballasts may contain PCBs or other harmful substances, so brand sure to take your quondam one to your local recycling center for proper disposal.
Should Y'all Replace your Magnetic Ballast with an Electronic One?
Many manufacturers are starting to stage out the bulbs that are compatible with older magnetic ballasts, so information technology may exist a good idea to look into replacing it with the more than mod electronic ones.
Additionally, magnetic ballasts are considered hazardous waste material because they contain harmful substances.
If your light fixtures are mounted in such a mode that would make information technology difficult to supplant the entire fixture, then switching to an electronic ballast might be your all-time bet. Electronic ballasts are far more efficient and volition save yous plenty of money on your electric neb.
Earlier you buy a new electronic ballast, however, compare prices of a new ballast to a completely new fixture.
Y'all might observe that it's easier and more than toll-effective to replace the unabridged light fixture rather than just the anchor itself.
Troubleshooting your fluorescent low-cal ballast isn't as overwhelming equally it seems.
All information technology takes is a basic understanding of how the machinery works, and a few tools, and you're well on your way.
So the next time your lights kickoff to flicker, don't worry.
Now y'all know how to handle it, and it won't take long to diagnose and repair the problem.
Replacing Your Fluorescent Lite Anchor Is Easy
Now that yous know how to decide whether or not your fluorescent light ballast is going bad, you'll be able to make an informed determination about whether or not you lot should replace information technology.
If information technology is going bad, then replacing it is easy and is something that you tin do at home with just a few tools.
Featured Paradigm: CC by SA, Dennis Brown, via Wikimedia Eatables.
Source: https://homeprojectdiy.com/fluorescent-light-ballast/
Posted by: lindleyadind1979.blogspot.com
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