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| Subject - When to change a Ballast? | |
| Cinner |
Is it safe to say that when a ballast is blackened (burnt like) or leaking a black tar like substance that it is no good any more and needs replacement. I have noticed that when the ballast look like that they still work, but do they work less efficiently? Cinner |
| JimmyDee | Not sure why they do that but it is safe to say it will go shortly. I would change it even if it might last a little longer because it is on its last legs and will probably be a noisy one. Jim |
| cs409 | time to change ballast as jimmy stated, |
| Ship Shock | quote: It's a crapshoot. I've seen ballasts ballasting away that had been installed back in the 60's and looked like they were sitting in molasses.(SS Cape Johnson...launched 1962). I've seen "hecho en mexico" units that pooped out after six months and couldn't be distinguished from NIB condition. As a rule of thumb, I replace 'em. Mind your input voltage, though. A 10% undervoltage will make it look like all of your "weaker" ballasts are going blotto.  I saved CS Long Lines a wee bit of money that way one summer...not that I saw a penny of the savings.  Regards; |
| Cinner | Will they run less efficiently when they are leaking molasses like substances? |
| David Hyatt | They probably are less efficient, they usually have a terrible smell when this starts to happen. So if the smell doesn't bother you, I don't know. I am not sure if it would be a FIRE HAZARD but I have seen the local fire department come in because of the wire burning smell and unhook that light or turn off the breaker and told the costumer to call an electrician. |
| JimmyDee | quote: Only if they are leaking because the capacitor in them went bad or there is some problem with the reactor winding. Their power factor drops to below 50% without the cap in them. Usually something has gone wrong in them to cause the leaking but not always. Jim |
| lctrc789 | I have to agree it is time to change ballast, when they are leaking, if nothing else to save you time down the road. Chances are they are going bad anyway. They do not work as effective, smell, leak and sometimes Hummm!!! Time to install new one(s)..... |
| KSsparky | Just something else to think about on ballast "goo". If the ballast is old enough, it may contain PCBs. They are carcinogenic. I used to know the approximate year they stopped using PCBs, but it escapes me right now. If it's old and doesn't say "No PCBs", it's best not to get it on you. |