What do the letters on a ballast mean?

What do the letters on a ballast mean?

Advance Ballasts that utilize fluorescent lamps usually come in two shapes, straight and u-shaped. Most fluorescent types are T5, T8, and T12. The T stands for tubular and the number provides the diameter in 1/8 of an inch. Lamp diameter is determined by ballast type. A T5 ballast must use a T5 bulb and so forth.

What is ballast and why is it used?

ballast – A device required by electric-discharge light sources such as fluorescent or HID lamps to regulate voltage and current supplied to the lamp during start and throughout operation.

What is the function of a ballast?

A ballast is a device that is used with fluorescent and other discharge lamps to provide the required current and voltage. The primary function is to provide the lamp with high voltage and/or cathode heating during start-up, and then to stabilise the arc by limiting the electrical current to the lamp.

What is the lifespan of a ballast?

According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use.

How do I know if my ballast is T8 or T12?

If no markings are available, the size in diameter of the tube is the easiest way to determine the type you have installed. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.

What do ships use for ballast?

A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or other floating structure that holds water, which is used as ballast to provide stability for a vessel. Using water in a tank provides easier weight adjustment than the stone or iron ballast used in older vessels.

Do LED lights have ballasts?

No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast. You will find ballast-compatible or “plug-and-play” LEDs that are designed to replace linear fluorescents, compact fluorescents, or HIDs. Incandescent and halogen lamps do not require a ballast.

What are the signs of a bad ballast?

2. Look for warning signs that the ballast is failing.

• 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.

What are the 3 main important function of a ballast?

The functions of ballast are as follows : It provides levelled bed or support for the railway sleepers. It transfers the load from sleepers to subgrade and distributes the load uniformly on subgrade. It holds the sleepers in a firm position while the trains pass by.

What causes a ballast to fail?

Causes of Ballast Failure Premature ballast failure is often caused by the surrounding environment. When it’s too hot or too cold, the ballast can burn or fail to start your lamps at all. Heat combined with prolonged condensation inside an electronic ballast can cause corrosion.

How do you know when to replace ballast?

2. Look for warning signs that the ballast is failing.

1. 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.
2. Dimming or flickering.
3. No lights at all.
4. Changing colors.
5. Swollen casing.
6. Burn marks.
7. Water damage.
8. Leaking oil.