How long do UV light ballast last?
When Should You Change UV Lights? Most manufacturers recommend that you replace your UV lamp every 9,000 hours or approximately every 12 months. An annual replacement schedule is also recommended for those suffering from allergies and other respiratory conditions.
How do you test a UV ballast?
0:411:42More or less than 36 Watt was in reason to test whether a ballast is good or bad first thing to doMoreMore or less than 36 Watt was in reason to test whether a ballast is good or bad first thing to do is visually inspect it check that it's not bulging or discolored.
Can I use a fluorescent ballast for a UV light?
Ultraviolet Ballasts. In many cases, a fluorescent ballast can run a range of UVC light bulbs. In most cases, the germicidal bulbs the fluorescent ballast is compatible with will not be on the spec sheet.
How does a ballast light work?
In its simplest form, a ballast uses magnetic energy that erupts into the lamp when it is turned on, stimulating the electrodes to make a current and the lamp glows.
Do UV lights need a ballast?
Modern UV metal vapor lamps (the best UV lamps in the terrarium) require a so-called electronic ballast for operation. Without an electronic ballast, the UV lamp would not start at all.
How can you tell if the ballast is bad?
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 do you test a UV ballast with a 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. When you do this test, a good ballast will return an “open-loop” or max resistance.
Will a ballast damage a LED bulbs?
(We tested this in house, with a 2200 lumen ballast compatible tube and a 2200 retrofit tube, and the difference was noticeable.) Some ballasts also produce a massive voltage surge when you flip the light switch, in order to get the fluorescent tube started. This surge can damage, or even kill, an LED tube.
What happens if you don't use a ballast?
Without a ballast, a lamp or a bulb will rapidly increase its current draw and it can become uncontrollable as well. When a ballast is present in a lamp, the power becomes stable, and even if such lamps are connected to high power sources, the ballast will regulate the energy and avoid the current rise.
Can a fluorescent light work without 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.
What are the three types of ballast?
There are two lamp families that work with a ballast: fluorescent and HID. And there are two types of ballasts in each family: magnetic and electronic. Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology.
What voltage does a ballast put out?
Newer fluorescent ballasts are usually rated for both 120 volts and 277 volts. Some are rated for only 120 volts, others for only 277 volts (used in commercial environments). CFLs for the home have a built-in ballast at the base of the bulb. Commercial CFLs use a separate ballast.
How do you test a UV ballast with a 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. When you do this test, a good ballast will return an “open-loop” or max resistance.
How do you know if a UV light is working?
If not ATP, then what's the best way to validate a UV Sanitizer?Place the dosimeter card inside a CleanSlate UV sanitizer.Run the 20-second disinfection cycle.Take the card out of the CleanSlate UV sanitizer and compare it to the reference codes to know the UV exposure achieved.
How do I test a fluorescent ballast with a multimeter?
Turn off the switch to your fluorescent bulb, expose the ballast in its housing, and set your multimeter to the highest resistance setting. Place the black probe on the white ground wire and the red probe on each of the other wires. A good ballast is expected to read “OL” or max resistance.
How do you test a HID ballast with a multimeter?
4:445:59And what you want to do is set your multimeter on the ohm setting. Okay that's the Omega symbol.MoreAnd what you want to do is set your multimeter on the ohm setting. Okay that's the Omega symbol. Again my black lead is still on ground. And going back to this wire.
What is the difference between a hot cathode and a UV-C bulb?
The difference is that high output lamps such as a Hot Cathode low pressure "TRUE" UV-C Bulb requires a higher "surge" voltage to remain consistent to light the UV-C Bulb unlike a cold cathode or an older, mostly 'expired' UVC bulb.
How much UVC does a cold cathode light bulb produce?
What is also noteworthy for any reader wondering why not then use a cold cathode UV light bulb, is that these bulbs only produce 7% necessary UVC lighting energy for actual UV Sterilization. Compare this to the 38% UV-C at 254nm that a hot cathode UV Bulb.
Why are electronic ballasts better than magnetic ballasts?
Why Electronic Ballasts. Electronic ballasts are more efficient than magnetic ballasts in converting input power to the proper lamp power. The operation of UV-lamps at higher frequencies reduce end losses, resulting in an overall lamp-ballast system efficiency increase of 15% to 20%. Electronic ballasts are directly interchangeable ...
What are the advantages of electronic ballasts?
Electronic ballasts have a further advantage in that they are virtually silent. They do not produce that low frequency "hum" produced by magnetic ballast fixture. Electronic Ballasts are more compact and light.
Why are electronic ballasts failing?
HOWEVER Electronic Ballasts have their failings, this includes poor heat sinks that allow over heating of electronic components over time with the end result being over voltages or under voltages that cannot light new lamps (while often lighting older lamps) or literally 'blowing' lamps due to over voltages .
What causes a UV C lamp to fail?
Moisture or humidity damage can also result in UV-C Lamp failure, often resulting in blown bulbs (which again results in miss-placed blame by many who do not understand how or what the electronic ballast performs.
What is an electronic ballast?
Electronic ballasts contain semiconductors and other electronic components. Electronic ballasts are similar to the switching power supplies you find in computers, creating a 'chopped' electrical current with up to 50,000 pulses of electricity supplied to the lamp with the inductor along with the capacitor smoothing out the voltage or current.
How does deoxygenation work in ballast tanks?
This is usually done by injecting nitrogen or any other inert gas in the space above the water level in the ballast tanks.
What is a physical separation system?
Physical separation or filtrations systems are used to separate marine organisms and suspended solid materials from the ballast water using sedimentation or surface filtration systems. The suspended/filtered solids and waste (backwashing) water from the filtration process is either discharged in the area from where the ballast is taken or further treated on board ships before discharging.
How does deoxygenation work?
This is usually done by injecting nitrogen or any other inert gas in the space above the water level in the ballast tanks.
How many disinfectants are used in ballast water treatment?
Most of the ballast water treatment system use 2-3 disinfectant methods together, divided into different stages. A general ballast water treatment plant comprises of two stages with one stage using physical separation while the second stage employing some disinfectant technology.
What are the factors that determine the ballast water treatment system?
Some of the main factors taken into consideration are –. Effectiveness on ballast water organisms. Environment-friendliness. Safety of the crew. Cost effectiveness.
How does electric plasma kill organisms?
This energy kills the organisms in the water. In electric plasma technology, high energy pulse is supplied to a mechanism placed in the ballast water, generating a plasma arc and thus killing the organisms. Both these methods are said to have almost the same effect on the organisms.
What are the constraints of ballast water treatment?
However, constraints such as availability of space, cost of implementation, and level of environmental friendliness play an important role in usage of a particular type of ballast water treatment system. A number of factors are taken into account ...
What is Electronic Ballast?
An electronic ballast (or electrical ballast) is a device that controls the starting voltage and the operating currents of lighting devices.
What is the Current Crest Factor for a HID Ballast?
The current crest factor is the ratio of the peak to RMS current of the HID ballast, i.e.
What are the Ballast Losses in Different Ballasts?
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What is a HID ballast?
An HID ballast (HID stands for High-Intensity Discharge) is a device that is used to control the voltage and arc current of High-Intensity Discharge lamps during their operation. The circuit diagram for the various types of HID ballasts is shown below.
What voltage does a ballast need to be to discharge a lamp?
Once the discharge process is started, the voltage across the lamp is decreased below 230V up to 125V and then this electronic ballast allows limited current to flow through this lamp.
How many V does a fluorescent tube need to discharge?
Generally, more than 400 V is required to strike the gas discharge process in fluorescent tube light. When the switch is ON, the initial voltage across the lamp becomes 1000 V around due to high value, hence gas discharge takes place instantaneously.
What is the crest factor of a reactor ballast?
The reactor ballast provides a low current crest factor of about 1.5.
What is ballast in light?
In its simplest form, a ballast uses magnetic energy that erupts into the lamp when it is turned on, stimulating the electrodes to make a current and the lamp glows. Today's fluorescent ballasts are mainly electronic, and they have a number of positive attributes including energy efficiency, reduced flicker of light, and even dimming capabilities.
How does a rapid start ballast work?
Rapid Start. A rapid start ballast works differently from an instant start as it does allow the lamp time to preheat by initially using a low voltage. Then when the lamp's cathodes are nice and warm, the voltage increases to light the lamp. One plus of rapid start ballasts is they work in a parallel lamp service.
What is the job of a fluorescent ballast?
The job of the fluorescent ballast is to manage this entire process by giving the lamp the voltage it needs to get the process done. At the same time it makes sure it doesn't take in so much that it burns out. That is because a fluorescent lamp is inherently has a negative resistance, meaning it will just keep on taking in voltage until its power supply can't take anymore. To combat this, the ballast supplies the opposite resistance -- positive -- to restrict the current.
How does a ballast work?
How Fluorescent Ballasts Work. When a fluorescent lamp is turned on, the lamp's electrodes heat up and release electrons. These mix with the mercury gas and other gases that are in the lamp. When this happens, the electrons actually bump into atoms that are in the gas, releasing wavelengths of ultraviolet light that are consumed by ...
Why use a ballast for a lamp?
Rather than warming up the lamp's electrodes gradually, the ballast a rather large initial voltage to get it going. Although this helps save energy since there's less energy used when compared to other ballast types, the lamp degrades quicker. We recommend this for fixtures that will not turn off and on all the time.
What is a ballast for fluorescent lights?
Fluorescent ballasts come in a variety of types to meet the needs of different fixtures. For instance, ballasts will specify how many fluorescent lamps they can regulate at one time (such as one or four). They also say what types of lamps they work with (such as T5, T8, T10 or T12).
What is the job of a ballast?
Another job of the ballast is to provide the energy -- or voltage -- the lamp needs to get going. The ballast gives the lamp the amount of voltage it needs to create the current – or arc – between its electrodes, and then automatically lowers and monitors the voltage to make sure there is the perfect amount to keep the light going.
How does a fluorescent ballast work?
A fluorescent lamp's ballast works to control this. The simplest sort of ballast, generally referred to as a magnetic ballast, works something like an inductor. A basic inductor consists of a coil of wire in a circuit, which may be wound around a piece of metal. If you've read How Electromagnets Work, you know that when you send electrical current through a wire, it generates a magnetic field. Positioning the wire in concentric loops amplifies this field.
Why do fluorescent lights flicker?
Magnetic ballasts modulate electrical current at a relatively low cycle rate, which can cause a noticeable flicker. Magnetic ballasts may also vibrate at a low frequency. This is the source of the audible humming sound people associate with fluorescent lamps.
How does a magnetic field affect a wire?
This sort of field affects not only objects around the loop, but also the loop itself. Increasing the current in the loop increases the magnetic field , which applies a voltage opposite the flow of current in the wire. In short, a coiled length of wire in a circuit (an inductor) opposes change in the current flowing through it (see How Inductors Work for details). The transformer elements in a magnetic ballast use this principle to regulate the current in a fluorescent lamp.
Why do fluorescent lamps need ballasts?
Fluorescent lamps come in all shapes and sizes, but they all work on the same basic principle: An electric current stimulates mercury atoms, which causes them to release ultraviolet photons.
Why does current in fluorescent light go up?
This is because as more electrons and ions flow through a particular area, they bump into more atoms, which frees up electrons, creating more charged particles. In this way, current will climb on its own in a gas discharge, as long as there is adequate voltage (and household AC current has a lot of voltage). If the current in a fluorescent light isn't controlled, it can blow out the various electrical components.
What is the difference between solids and gases?
One major difference between solids and gases is their electrical resistance (the opposition to flowing electricity). In a solid metal conductor such as a wire, resistance is a constant at any given temperature, controlled by the size of the conductor and the nature of the material. In a gas discharge, such as a fluorescent lamp, ...
Can a ballast stop a fluorescent light?
A ballast can only slow down changes in current -- it can't stop them. But the alternating current powering a fluorescent light is constantly reversing itself, so the ballast only has to inhibit increasing current in a particular direction for a short amount of time.
Can 240V ballast be used with no lamp?
If you are measuring 240V at the lamp socket with no lamp installed, the ballast would appear to be okay. This type of bi-pin lamp contains a capacitor that causes the filaments to heat at turn-on thus acting as a starter. If you are still concerned about the ballast you can test it with a similar but visible light 9W CFL lamp.
What is the meaning of "back up"?
Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Can UVB damage your eyesight?
There are risks in this as UVB can easily damage your eyesight. If you are measuring 240V at the lamp socket with no lamp installed, the ballast would appear to be okay. This type of bi-pin lamp contains a capacitor that causes the filaments to heat at turn-on thus acting as a starter.
Is it hard to see outside on a bright day?
It might be hard to see outside on a bright day, but it should be easy otherwise.
