how do you know when your ballast is bad

• Low output. If the lights remain dim for several minutes after you’ve turned them on, you could have an issue with your ballast, especially if you’ve just replaced your bulb.
• Flickering. Periodic flickering or strobing can be particularly frustrating. It could also be a sign that your ballast isn’t working properly.
• Buzzing. A dying ballast often starts to hum or buzz on its way out. Fading light and color variation are common with fluorescent lamps.
• Delayed start. Remember that the ballast provides the voltage to get the inner workings of your lamp to light up. ...

Full Answer

Can a bad bulb ruin a ballast?

In a fluorescent light, the bulbs (“tubes”) often go bad first, although leaving a burned-out tube in a fixture without replacing it for a long period of time might eventually cause the ballast to go bad. A faulty tube can be identified if one or both ends of the tube are blackened, due to the evaporation of the cathodes inside the tube.

How do you know if a flourescent ballast is bad?

If fluorescent light ballasts have gone bad, they might become dim, buzz, change color or go through fast blinking cycles. All parts of the light should be inspected for default before replacement. A multimeter can be used to make certain that it is indeed the ballast itself that has gone bad.

What happens when a light ballast goes bad?

What happens when a ballast goes bad? When it’s too hot or too cold, the ballast can burn or fail to start your lamps at all. Heat combined with prolonged condensation inside an electronic ballast can cause corrosion. Some people may suggest removing the parts of the ballast casing and cleaning the electrical board.

Do I have a bad ballast?

The biggest sign your ballast resistor is bad is your vehicle will start, but immediately stop as soon as you let go of the key. If you suspect you need a replacement, be sure to see a professional mechanic. The most popular service booked by readers of this article is Starting And Charging Inspection.

How do you check a ballast without removing it?

Test your electronic ballast's resistance using your digital multimeter. 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.

How do I test a defective ballast?

With your multimeter set to ohm, or “Xl1” if there are multiple ohms on your meter, insert one of the probes into the wire connector containing the white wires. Touch the other end to the remaining blue, red, and/or yellow wires attached to the ballast. Your multimeter won't move if your ballast has gone bad.

How long does ballast last?

12 to 15 yearsAccording to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use.

How do you check if a light ballast is working?

0:551:42How to test a Fluorescent Ballast - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf it looks good you can test the resistance off the coil. So you can put your meter to ohms. CheckMoreIf it looks good you can test the resistance off the coil. So you can put your meter to ohms. Check our leads. And we're going to measure between the end and the edge of the coil.

Will LED bulbs work if ballast is bad?

Can LED lamps work off of existing ballasts? Yes, if they have an internal driver than can work off that ballast. Philips, for example, has designed a tube that is compatible with an existing electronic ballast.

How much does a new ballast 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 I know if its the ballast or bulb?

If the ballast is bad, the needle on the multimeter will not move. If the ballast is still good, the needle should sweep to the right across the face of the multimeter.

Why does a ballast go bad?

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 does it take to change a light ballast?

about 10 minutesThe ballast takes in electricity and then regulates current to the bulbs. 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 you bypass a ballast?

How to Bypass A BallastStep 1: Disconnect All Power So There is No Electrical Current. ... Step 2: Find the Ballast. ... Step 3: Locate and Cut Only the Hot and Neutral Wires. ... Step 4: Cut the Socket Lead Wires. ... Step 5: Remove the Ballast (if you wish) ... Step 6: Connect the Wires. ... Step 7: Reattach Any Coverings and Turn On.

How do you fix a ballast in a fluorescent light?

2:077:23How to fix "ANY" fluorescent Light | Ballast Replacement - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe can cut any wires that are holding the ballast in place. And once we've done this we can go aheadMoreWe 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.

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.

How do you test a ballast resistor with a multimeter?

0:031:01Ballast Resistor - How to Test - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTake one lead from your voltmeter connect it to the side coming from the ignition switch. Take theMoreTake one lead from your voltmeter connect it to the side coming from the ignition switch. Take the other week when we voltmeter connect it to ground. Now reach in the car. And turn the key to the on.

What should you use to check the voltage in the ballast?

Test the ballast's voltage with a multimeter. Attach the multimeter's leads to the sockets at the ends of the ballast. If the reading is not between five and nine volts, replace the ballast. Adjust the multimeter to measure frequency and replace the ballast if the reading is not between 20 and 50 kilohertz.

How do you bypass a ballast?

How to Bypass A BallastStep 1: Disconnect All Power So There is No Electrical Current. ... Step 2: Find the Ballast. ... Step 3: Locate and Cut Only the Hot and Neutral Wires. ... Step 4: Cut the Socket Lead Wires. ... Step 5: Remove the Ballast (if you wish) ... Step 6: Connect the Wires. ... Step 7: Reattach Any Coverings and Turn On.

How do you test a t12 ballast?

3:144:54Ballast Test for Fluorescent Lights - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou're looking for no change no change means it's good ok any reading at all you've got a badMoreYou're looking for no change no change means it's good ok any reading at all you've got a bad ballast. These cannot be serviced or repaired you just have to replace it. What you want to do is all you

What happens if a ballast is bad?

If the ballast is bad, the needle on the multimeter will not move. If the ballast is still good, the needle should sweep to the right across the face of the multimeter. Install a new ballast, if necessary. Replace the ballast cover on the fluorescent light fixture.

How to replace ballast?

Replace the ballast if it appears burned, swollen or is leaking oil. Set the multimeter to the ohm setting. Choose "X1K" if there are multiple ohm settings on your multimeter. Insert one probe of the multimeter in to the wire connector holding the white wires together.

What happens if a fluorescent bulb is not on?

Without the ballast, a fluorescent bulb would attach directly to 120-volt current and quickly burn out the bulb. When you hear a buzzing sound coming from your fixture or the bulbs flicker or do not come on, check the ballast to see if it needs to be replaced.

Why do fluorescent lights need a ballast?

A fluorescent fixture requires a ballast to send the proper amount of electricity to the fluorescent bulbs. The ballast provides enough voltage to start the fluorescent bulbs, and once they are started, it quickly lowers the current to produce just enough electricity to produce a steady light source. Without the ballast, a fluorescent bulb would ...

How do U-shaped bulbs work?

U-shaped and straight fluorescent bulbs install into fluorescent sockets that connect to the ballast. U-shaped bulbs are held in the socket with tension springs. Pull the U-shaped bulbs from the tension springs to release them from the socket.

How to check if ballast is bad?

Step 1. Power off the fixture. Go to your circuit breaker panel and power down the area that includes the lamp you want to check. Step 2.

How to tell if you need to replace ballast?

If the ballast is not already exposed, remove its cover. At this point, signs of burning, swelling, or leaking are a strong indicator that you need to replace your ballast. If these signs aren’t present, continue to the next step.

What Is a Fluorescent Ballast?

There are several components to fluorescent lamps. Light is produced within the glass tube by ionizing mercury vapor, which causes electrons in the gas to emit photons at UV frequencies.

How to remove fluorescent light from a fixture?

Step 2. Remove fluorescent bulbs from the fixture. Fixtures are made differently. You may have to unwrap the lens cover , unscrew it, or simply slide it out. Step 3. Disconnect the ballast. In circular fluorescent bulbs, unplug the ballast from the bulb.

Why do fluorescent lights turn on slowly?

Colder lamps require a higher voltage, which is why some fluorescent lamps turn on slowly before they achieve full brightness—the lamp is warming up the gas. A ballast is used to help regulate the current created by this process. Without it, the current would rapidly increase and cause the lamp to overheat. The ballast provides a quick supply of ...

What does it mean when a lamp ballast is bad?

Remember that the ballast provides the voltage to get the inner workings of your lamp to light up. While a warming start might be expected, an increased delay is a sign of a bad ballast.

What does it mean when your ballast isn't working?

Inconsistent lighting levels. Fading light and color variation are common with fluorescent lamps. However, dark corners or inconsistent light across a space could be an indicator that your ballast isn’t working properly.

What happens if a ballast is faulty?

If the fixture is found to have a faulty ballast, it should be replaced with a new unit. Fluorescent lamp fixtures wear down just like any device.

What happens if fluorescent ballast goes bad?

If fluorescent light ballasts have gone bad, they might become dim, buzz, change color or go through fast blinking cycles. All parts of the light should be inspected for default before replacement. A multimeter can be used to make certain that it is indeed the ballast itself that has gone bad. If the light makes a buzzing sound when it is turned ...

Why do bulbs flicker?

Bulbs that flicker or don’t light up at all often do so because the ballast is not regulating the electricity properly between the 120-volt current and the bulbs. The only sure fire way to tell that a ballast is faulty is to connect it to a multimeter, an electronic measuring instrument also known as a Volt-Ohm meter.

How to tell if fluorescent ballast is faulty?

However, the downside is that replacement ballasts are rather pricey and, in some instances, it is cheaper to replace the entire fixture than just the ballast itself. If the ballast is humming loudly, cycling on and off while being left on for extended periods of time, or leaking a tar-like substance inside the fixture, it is faulty. If the fixture just suddenly stopped working, inspect its wiring prior to replacing the ballast. Are there loose wiring connections inside the fixture? Are the lampholders broken? Is the switch controlling the light fixture defective and in need of replacement? These factors, while uncommon, might always contribute to a malfunctioning fluorescent light fixture.

What happens when one ballast fails?

Often one ballast supplies two bulbs in series, so that when one bulb fails, the other one stops lighting even if it hasn’t failed.

Why is my ballast leaking?

The black goo leaking from the ballast is potting material that acts as a dielectric insulator and prevents the internal components of the ballast from arcing, while also elimina ting the heat and noise produced by the core (transformer) that regulates the ballast’s output voltage to the lamps. This tar-like substance is also used in neon sign transformers and some HID ballasts for this same purpose. If it is leaking, it is likely due to an overheating ballast, which usually happens when the ballast reaches end-of-life. You can replace the ballast with a new electronic ballast (as the name sugg

How many ballasts do you need for a fluorescent light fixture?

If you are talking about a fixture with fluorescent tubes it gets more complicated. To light 4 tubes the fixture could have one or two ballasts. It is better for the ballast to have the correct number of tubes. So if your fixture has two ballasts you can just take out the tubes connected to one of them.

Why does a fluorescent light fixture make a humming sound?

In older fluorescent light fixtures, magnetic ballasts were used, which are notorious for producing a humming sound due to the vibrations of the transformer coil inside the ballast. However, if the ballast is humming louder than usual, it might be nearing the end of its lifespan. It could also be that the tube (s) in the fixture are of the improper rating, which adds stress to the ballast, or that the fixture has been installed incorrectly. Over the course of the last decade or so, magne

What causes fluorescent lights to go bad?

Usually, if replacing the fluorescent tube (s) doesn’t correct the problem, the likely culprit is the ballast. Bad tubes can be identified if one or both ends of the tube are dark gray or blackened. Slight gray discoloration at the ends of the tube is normal even after light use (no pun intended). In fluorescent fixtures containing multiple tubes, even if one tube appears bad and the other tube (s) do not show abnormal discoloration at the ends, I would still replace each tube. If the fixture is series-wired, one tube may go bad causing the others to flicker/glow dimly/not light at all; while on

Why does my fluorescent light bulb go bad?

In a fluorescent light, the bulbs (“tubes”) often go bad first, although leaving a burned-out tube in a fixture without replacing it for a long period of time might eventually cause the ballast to go bad. A faulty tube can be identified if one or both ends of the tube are blackened, due to the evaporation of the cathodes inside the tube. Please note, however, that light grey discoloration at the tube ends is normal and indicates a “healthy” tube. If your tube looks like this, it needs replacing ASAP: