How do you know what ballast you need?
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 long does a ballast 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.
Are ballasts interchangeable?
Matching ANSI codes guarantees that the ballast you chose can be used with your lamp. However, ballasts are often compatible with more than one lamp, and vice versa.
How do you determine the wattage of a ballast?
There’s also a common way to estimate the system wattage of a fluorescent fixture if you don’t have a ballast catalog handy: multiply the lamp wattage by the number of lamps and the ballast factor.
How do you tell if a ballast is bad?
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.
Why do 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.
Is this a TLE 54 ballast?
Amazon markets this TLE 54 ballast as the Energy Pro although it actually says Radiant on the product. I ordered it to replace one that lasted more than fifteen years before dying.
Is the energypro ballast the same as the radiant ballast?
FYI, this ballast is same model (TLE 54) but replaced an EnergyPro ballast (did not say Radiant on it). Fits good however the wires that go to the lamps themselves are considerably shorter. Occasionally falters in starting the lamps and have to cycle switch a few times.
Do the ballast and light work well?
Bob W. published 04/13/2021 following an order made on 03/20/2021 Ballast was easy to install and works just fine. Doug I. published 04/11/2021 following an order made on 02/15/2021 Replaced ballast and light works well. They work great! Easily installed to replace the failed unit. Quick delivery and was an exact fit for the use.