fluorescent ballast problem.

[telectrix]

client has about 24 1200 x 600 recessed fittings in suspended ceiling ( shop ). problem is 6 are not working. it's not the tubes, there are no starters, so it's got to be the ballast units. ordered from local supplier 3 weeks ago. today they say they can't get them. each fitting has only one ballast to run the 4 tubes . my problem is ... do i try and obtain ballasts or would it be more economical to replace the complete fitting ( £41 + VAT from TLC.) might just be the ballast cost is close to the cost of a new fitting.

 

[mayfair]

tried electronic ballasts lighter, smaller, easy to fit

 

[telectrix]

i would want an exact replacement. don't want to spend loads of time working out the connections and having to drill fixing holes

 

[mogga]

Replace fittings ballast could be a pig to get plus fit New fitting fit n walk away

 

[mayfair]

At 41 quid agreed

Replace fittings ballast could be a pig to get plus fit New fitting fit n walk away

 

[rmc86uk]

I worked for a company doing retail lighting maintenance for a few month, the main thing we did was change ballast and lamps. I had never ever changed a ballast until I started working for them. I thought surely it is cheaper to change the whole fitting but when some of the fittings are that old and you can't replace it then changing the ballast is the only option. Some cdm ones are about 150 quid and sometimes the fitting is cheaper or sometimes it could be a 300 quid light fitting. I used to call the job ballast bashing!

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[i=p/u]

well what power is on the ballast. someone give me link on ebay for ballast and the were 3-4 quid

 

[dim_bulb]

get the client to pay the £41 squid

 

[i=p/u]

he knows what to do he just like to pretend he in ****s creek

 

[mogga]

£3 to£4 might get you an 18w switch start not a 4x36w HF ballast MagneTek BBT/UWS 436-WS 4x36w 220-240v High Frequency Ballast: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home £60

 

[telectrix]

that's it then mogga, ballast £60, new fitting £41 . total no brainer thanks to all who have posted .

 

[mogga]

RS do a 4x36w for £30 but then youv got half hour to fit n getting ballast ect ect ect

 

[i=p/u]

you sure there isnt a fault telectrix, have you checked continuity and stuff

 

[telectrix]

you sure there isnt a fault telectrix, have you checked continuity and stuff

come off it. i=p/u, there's 230v at the fitting. there's 4 tubes, 1 ballast, and a bit of string joining everything together. it ain't the tubes, it ain't the string, so there you go.

 

[Marvo]

Some ballasts have a safety feature that 'trips' supposedly to reduce the risk of high temperatures or fire when tubes reach end of life and don't ignite cleanly. This can make the ballast appear to be faulty. Often they reset automatically when tubes are replaced but one or two makes have manual reset methods. I think it was one of the BAG models (DALI type) where you had to short two contacts on the back side of the ballast and there was another one where you had to cycle the light switch fairly quickly twice or three times to manually reset it. Best thing to do is check online for a pdf spec sheet for the particular ballast you're dealing with.