How to tell if fluorescent bulb or ballast is bad

JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.

Unlike incandescent and LED lights, fluorescent lighting requires a ballast that sends the correct amount of power into the bulb or tube. The ballast delivers enough voltage to start the lighting process. Once the illumination begins, it backs off the electricity to produce a steady light. Without a ballast, fluorescent bulbs would use the V current and quickly burn out and ruin the product. If it goes bad, you'll see or hear symptoms that tell you it's time for a potential replacement. When a ballast starts failing, it will typically buzz or causes the bulbs to flicker. These issues can sometimes happen while it is operating as expected, so it's important to check the equipment before assuming a replacement is necessary.

How to tell if fluorescent bulb or ballast is bad

Just about everyone knows the familiar glow of fluorescent tube lights. As commonly as fluorescent lighting is used in those types of utility spaces, perhaps just as common are the problems that can come with fluorescent lighting in terms of reliability and efficiency. This is especially true for older lighting installations and is something that you should definitely be aware of if your home is more than a couple of decades old In particular, the magnetic ballast is a key component of older fluorescent lighting systems and is one common point of failure that can prevent you from having the light you need when you hit the switch or pull the cord. The magnetic ballast for a fluorescent lighting system, which is sometimes called the control gear, is a small part of the lighting unit or box. It ensures that the amount of electricity going to the bulbs is both enough to turn on the tubes and keep them running at a safe and efficient voltage. Since most fluorescent bulbs produce light by heating mercury gas, the ballast keeps the amount of electricity going to the bulbs in check so that the mercury gas stays at a safe and stable temperature. If the ballast wears out and fails to regulate the flow of electricity, the mercury gas inside each bulb could overheat and burn or even start a fire. Here are a few telltale signs that a fluorescent light ballast has failed or is on its way to failing:. As with most lighting and electrical systems inside any home, the technology used in modern equipment is far superior to the hardware used decades ago. The same is true for lighting ballasts and most contractors and electricians now recommend using electronic ballasts instead of magnetic ballasts.

Turn Off the Power You'll need to safely turn off the fixture at the circuit breaker to check the ballast.

Return to Electrical Article List. On the home repair scale of 1 to 10 10 being hardest , repairing a fluorescent fixture is a 3 or I added the first and last with tongue in cheek I know most of you are not color-blind and most of you can read Here are some common fluorescent freak-outs and some suggested solutions! Note that I will be primarily referring to fixtures using straight fluorescent tubes in this discussion.

Unlike incandescent and LED lights, fluorescent lighting requires a ballast that sends the correct amount of power into the bulb or tube. The ballast delivers enough voltage to start the lighting process. Once the illumination begins, it backs off the electricity to produce a steady light. Without a ballast, fluorescent bulbs would use the V current and quickly burn out and ruin the product. If it goes bad, you'll see or hear symptoms that tell you it's time for a potential replacement. When a ballast starts failing, it will typically buzz or causes the bulbs to flicker. These issues can sometimes happen while it is operating as expected, so it's important to check the equipment before assuming a replacement is necessary. You'll need to safely turn off the fixture at the circuit breaker to check the ballast. Check to see if the voltage is still there any way for an extra layer of safety? If you flip the switch and get no response when one was there before, you're typically okay — but electricity is not something to mess with at all.

How to tell if fluorescent bulb or ballast is bad

Unlike LEDs and incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lighting needs a ballast to ensure that the right amount of power is delivered to the bulb or tube. Enough voltage is delivered by the ballast to initiate the lighting process. As soon as the illumination starts, it reduces the electricity to create a steady light. Fluorescent bulbs would use the V current without a ballast, quickly burn out, and damage the product. Fluorescent lamps are made up of many parts. A phosphor coating on the inside of the tube converts these frequencies into regular visible light. To get the electrons to move from one electrode to another and create an arc, a high voltage is used.

Car seat by graco

Add to Compare. Indeed, the cost of replacing the ballast in a fixture may rival the cost of a new fixture I agree. They serve a similar function to magnetic or electronic ballasts, but are used in LED fixtures to convert the electrical current to the low voltage direct current LEDs require. Sometimes, ceiling texture also has to be touched up after a fixture is taken down! Are your fluorescent bulbs on the fritz? I personally prefer the electronic ballasts because the hum makes me nuts. Most likely, you won't know right away. To remove a starter, press in and turn counterclockwise If either bulb appears to be very dark near either end the bulb is defective or close to failure. If you have a U-shaped bulb, it will be held in place with a tension spring. There is risk of electrocution when changing a ballast so please ensure you know what you're doing or ask an electrician to do the job for you if you are unsure. Rainier was the electrician that came to complete the service. My apologies.

A lot of times folks are not able to identify if the fluorescent bulb is faulty or the ballast and look for ways to detect that. The faulty bulb has black marks and red beams at the edge. Here I go:.

Start by checking the fuse hasn't tripped the power supply. Usually, the wires will be coloured red, white, blue, yellow and black and the corresponding colours on the ballast wires will match up with those in the fitting. On the home repair scale of 1 to 10 10 being hardest , repairing a fluorescent fixture is a 3 or Latest Technology. Be sure to compare them before disconnecting the old ballast. First and foremost Does your fixture have a starter? Upfront Pricing. The ballast delivers enough voltage to start the lighting process. Additionally, an electronic ballast is less likely than a magnetic ballast to produce a buzzing sound or allow visible flickering when turning on. Customer Service LampShopOnline take pride in looking after our customers and endeavor to reply to every query. Some might exclude the yellow.