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.
It is economical to turn off fluorescent lights if they are not being used. According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use.
Thereof, Do ballasts go bad?
When your fluorescent light flickers or makes a loud and annoying hum, a degrading ballast is the cause. The 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.
Also to know is, Is changing a ballast easy? You can get a new ballast at a hardware store or home center and install it in about 10 minutes. However, buying a ballast can be expensive, so consider pricing a brand-new fixture for comparison.
Subsequently, question is, Can you throw away ballasts? Ballasts marked “No PCBs” are not regulated as hazardous waste and can be disposed as garbage.
Also, Does Home Depot recycle ballasts?
Hello marthainalabama, All Home Depot stores have a CFL (compact fluorescent lighting) recycling center. …
Do you need to be an electrician to change a ballast?
Yes. As a matter of fact, you do need a lock out tag out device in place for changing a ballast. ‘An electrician is replacing the ballast on a fluorescent light.
What are the signs of a bad ballast?
– Buzzing. If you hear a strange sound coming from your bulbs or light fixture, like a buzzing or humming noise, that’s often a sign your ballast is going. …
– Dimming or flickering. …
– No lights at all. …
– Changing colors. …
– Swollen casing. …
– Burn marks. …
– Water damage. …
– Leaking oil.
Can I replace a ballast?
You can get a new ballast at a hardware store or home center and install it in about 10 minutes. However, buying a ballast can be expensive, so consider pricing a brand-new fixture for comparison.
Can you scrap ballasts?
View All Scrap Prices Rockaway Recycling accepts ballasts for scrap metal. Coming from light fixtures it is important to know what you can do with them when you are looking to scrap them. Ballasts come from inside of lighting fixtures and there generally are two types. Electronic and copper-based ballasts.
How much does an electrician charge to change a ballast?
How much do electricians charge to change a ballast? 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 you tell if it’s the ballast or the bulb?
One probe of the multimeter should touch the hot wire connections, while the other touches the neutral wire connections. If the ballast is good, an analog multimeter has a needle that will sweep to the right across the measuring scale. If the ballast is bad, then the needle won’t move.
How do you know if a ballast has PCBs?
Ballasts manufactured between 1979 and 1998 that do not contain PCBs are labeled “No PCBs” If a ballast is not labeled “No PCBs”, it is best to assume it contains PCBs. If the ballast does contain PCBs, they are located inside the small capacitor or in the surrounding potting material.
Why do fluorescent lights not turn on sometimes?
The fluorescent tube won’t turn on No electrical power due to a tripped breaker or blown fuse. A dead or dying ballast. A dead starter. A dead bulb.
How long should a ballast last?
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.
Can I use a different ballast?
However, ballasts are often compatible with more than one lamp, and vice versa. Based on design and start method, certain ballast options may be preferable to others because they can help your lights operate more efficiently, have longer life spans, or use less energy.
Are all fluorescent ballasts the same?
Magnetic ballasts vs. And there are two types of ballasts in each family: magnetic and electronic. Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology. For the fluorescent family, both T12 linear fluorescents and two-pin CFLs use magnetic ballasts. … Today, most fluorescent and HID lamps operate off an electronic ballast.
Can you recycle old ballasts?
Ballasts containing the hazardous materials polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) also pose health and environmental concerns. Therefore, these liquid-containing “wet ballasts” are considered regulated waste and should be recycled.
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