Electronic ballast testing

[Bradley6969]

Can anyone help with me with regards to testing this electronic ballast, there’s 240v at terminals but I’m not sure how to see if the ballast is faulty.
Thanks

 

[Andy5678]

If a known working lamp doesn’t work the you likely have a faulty ballast

 

[Bradley6969]

If a known working lamp doesn’t work the you likely have a faulty ballast

Yes I know, I want to understand why and how to test is output DC or AC want to know for when I have a problem again

 

[telectrix]

hit with hammer then replace with LED.

 

[DefyG]

Yes I know, I want to understand why and how to test is output DC or AC want to know for when I have a problem again

You'd probably have to have a better understanding of electronics than is necessary for the average electrician and the correct test equipment which again, the average electrician wont have so Andy5678's solution is probably the most cost effective.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Because of the complexity of electronic ballasts, the number of possible failure modes and their interaction with the lamp, in the absence of any other instructions from the manufacturer the only effective test is to put them under operating conditions with a known good lamp. Otherwise, it's like 'testing' a car engine without starting it.

The output is usually high-frequency AC with approximately constant-current regulation when running, but the currents and voltages vary according to whether it is pre-heating, starting, running or locked out. Modern microcontroller-based ballasts continuously analyse the lamp behaviour and react accordingly. They will sit there waiting until they detect that a potentially operational lamp is connected. They will then attempt to start it, check its performance, and shut down if it is out of spec to prevent energy wastage and annoying flickering. Some will then remain permanently on standby, monitoring whether the lamp has been changed, and start again from the beginning when happens.

Like the mice in the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, when you think you're testing the ballast, it's actually testing you.

 

[static zap]

As Lucien mentions , you need a good lamp .
If it's one ot those D shape things ,
need to test the heaters with an Ohm meter !
(nothing connected and OFF)
-----
( a wattmeter on the mains -with ballast hooked up !)
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Micro-controlled ... Are we in ON-OFF-ON territory ?

 

[dmxtothemax]

There is no easy way to test an electronic type ballast,
as it performs several functions
substitution is the best method