Blown Ballast

Jaws · #1 03-09-2006, 06:33 AM

I was moving my ballast the other day and while doing it, one of the power wire connectors joining the ballast had some metal exposed and touched with the metal ceiling I have above my canopy. As soon as it touched there was a huge flash and a large black burn on the metal ceiling where they made contact. Now the light won't turn back on. Would that be enough to blow the ballast or could it be something else?

StirCrazy · #2 03-09-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaws

I was moving my ballast the other day and while doing it, one of the power wire connectors joining the ballast had some metal exposed and touched with the metal ceiling I have above my canopy. As soon as it touched there was a huge flash and a large black burn on the metal ceiling where they made contact. Now the light won't turn back on. Would that be enough to blow the ballast or could it be something else?

which wire was it and was it an electronic ballast or a magnetic ballast?

I would guess the ballast is fried but you never know.

Steve

Jaws · #3 03-09-2006, 03:32 PM

It was one of two red power wires that are labeled "lamp" on an electronic ballast.

Delphinus · #4 03-09-2006, 03:59 PM

It's probably a safe bet the ballast is fried, sorry. Check with the manufacturer to see if they can be repaired.

At least in my experience it's probably bad news. I had an electronic ballast for a double-ended lamp that I was trying to DIY a fixture. Somehow one of the lamp leads contacted the fixture, which I had diligently grounded. That was that. I then read on the ballast some warning about the lamp leads were never to contact ground. Ooops.

I opened up the ballast to see if it was repairable, and it probably would have been had the whole electronics board not been encased in epoxy. That was an almost $200 donation to my garbage can.

But, some electronic ballasts are repairable (I think). I think Icecap for example can repair their ballasts. I just had some cheap knock-off brand and as far as I know the manufacturer doesn't even exist anymore, so I was out of luck, but perhaps you have a chance still. Good luck.

Jaws · #5 03-09-2006, 04:05 PM

Thanks guys. I have a techie at my office. I'll see if he can have a look at it for me.