How to replace a ballast in a fluorescent light

Ballast, transformer, choke. It is a solid state control board. In the old days we had a ballast that weighed a pound and a cylindrical removable starter that flashed to tube to start fluorescing.

Save money and replace fluorescent tube with led light what doesnt require balast

A fluorescent bulb in the old days had a filament on each end that required a heating current to be applied. The starter would allow this current to initiate the heating of the filament and then it would open and allow the bulb to light. The old ballasts where not able to do both functions and the starter kept the ballast from burning out because it limited the current draw from the filament.

Your description sounds like the connectors for the tubes. Also RECHECK wiring. Different on newer ballasts. See below...

Turn off fixture, unplug, or deactivate fuse...

Pull out bulbs and the tin fixture cover/reflector.
Extract the bulb connector. Go to hardware and buy 4 more, and just replace them. The connections fail where the wire connects and the rigours of bulb replacements damage this piece. TONS easier to get new pieces.

ALSO!!!! many new (fancy schmancy) ballasts WIRE UP completely differently from the old ballast. Follow the wiring diagram on the NEW ballast. This detail trips up many.

Doc

Rule #1: TURN OFF THE POWER AT THE BREAKER PANEL.
A fluorescent light ballast is a transformer that outputs a higher voltage than the input (120 volts). The electrocution hazard is very real.
Practically all ballasts have a drawing printed on the label. As a master electrician I still need the drawing to install them properly. Electronic ballasts should have a black and white wire for input voltage. The output to the lamps will be some combination of: red, yellow, blue.
The new ballast must also be matched to the type of lamp. Old fluorescent lamps were T12 (refers to the diameter). New lamps are T8 and produce more lumens with lower amperage.

Hello there,

Ballast can be resistor , capacitor, Inductor or all three.in the older ones, there was a 'starter' (neon bulb inside)

Go here for explanation.
http://www.imperialrange.com/contact.php

Normally you would just change the whole thing.

even if there is power at the sockets, ballast may not have power to fire off the lamps, how old is this fixture, and you need to replace the ballast same as in fixture, if you replace ballast make diagram of wiring so you can rewire it like it was wired from store.

Dear sir

first do not confuse by the colour of ballast wire, now see black and white wire who is coming from the ballast and find out after that you have to remove it from the joint . and other new ballast replace here and it's wire connect here with that point where you has remove wire black and white wire first from here. and try to fix fluorescent light here and after that try to switch on electric supply for testing. i hope after that it will work.

thank you
hope answer the question
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The dimmer you purchase needs to be compatable with the ballasts of the C.F. light. A compact flourescent potlight has a ballast, if your replacing incandescent bulbs with compact flourecent lamps
you still need a flourescent dimmer. Remember a ballast is like a transformer! If you compact flourecent fixture has a ballast by Lutron. then you need a lutron dimmer as there ballasts are not officially compatable with other dimmers, allthough I've seen them work. My advise is buy Pass & Seymour (Legrand) or Leviton.

Inside a fluorescent light, electricity is delivered to a ballast, which sends a spark through the mercury-vapor-filled tube (or bulb), creating light by activating phosphors that coat the inside of the tube. If any of the components are faulty, the light won't work right. Once you pinpoint the problem, most fixes are very easy. Remember to turn off the power first! Old bulbs blink off and on just before they die; repairs are often simply a matter of replacing the tube or bulb. This problem may also be occurring because of poor contact between the pins at the ends of a tube and the tube holders. If the pins are bent, use needle-nose pliers to straighten them. Clean up the pins and socket contacts with fine sandpaper, and brush away residue. Though gray bands at the ends of tube are normal, black bands indicate that the tube needs to be replaced. If only one end is dark, turn the bulb end-for-end. If the tube is new and these fixes don't work, you may have to replace the starter or ballast. Some fixtures ("A-rated") are quieter than others are, but most fluorescent lights have a slight hum. If the sound seems too loud-- or if you can smell electrical burning-- shut off the power. The ballast is probably either the wrong type, improperly installed, or defective. Replace it or call an electrician. Brand new tubes tend to flicker, as do bulbs that are cold. If an old tube still flickers after it has had a chance to warm up (or after you've warmed up the room), rotate it a couple of times in the tube holders. Try cleaning the tube's end pins. If it still doesn't work, replace it. If only the ends of the tube glow, either the starter or the ballast is defective. Replace the starter, then the ballast.