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A replacement ballast costs about $10-25 depending on capacity and brand. The bite is that an electrician trip charge (which includes 30 or 60 minutes work) is going to be $75-150 probably – for about 5 minutes work on each light fixture.
How long does it take to replace a ballast?
The ballast takes in electricity and then regulates current to the bulbs. A typical ballast will generally last about 20 years, but cold environments and bad bulbs can decrease this lifespan significantly. You can get a new ballast at a hardware store or home center and install it in about 10 minutes.
How do you tell if a ballast is blown?
One probe of the multimeter should touch the hot wire connections, while the other touches the neutral wire connections. If the ballast is good, an analog multimeter has a needle that will sweep to the right across the measuring scale. If the ballast is bad, then the needle won’t move.
How do you know if a fluorescent ballast is bad?
If the ballast is bad, the needle on the multimeter will not move. If the ballast is still good, the needle should sweep to the right across the face of the multimeter. Install a new ballast, if necessary. Replace the ballast cover on the fluorescent light fixture.
How much does it cost to replace a fluorescent light fixture?
To replace an existing ceiling fixture with a new 36-inch, two-tube fluorescent one, an electrician will charge $241, which includes the labor and cost of the fixture. If you have electrical skills and tools, you can make the swap for $95, the cost of the fixture, and save 60 percent.
Do I need an electrician to replace a ballast?
Yes. In fact, you really need a locking device to replace the ballast. – An electrician replaces the ballast on a fluorescent lamp. He uses a switch on the wall to turn off the fluorescent light.
Is it cheaper to replace ballast or fixture?
A replacement ballast costs about $10-25 depending on capacity and brand. The bite is that an electrician trip charge (which includes 30 or 60 minutes work) is going to be $75-150 probably – for about 5 minutes work on each light fixture.
Will a bad ballast burn out bulbs?
The ballast itself can go bad, which causes lights to flicker or even appear to be burnt out, when in fact they aren’t. They require maintenance and energy to power, on top of the power used to light the fluorescent bulb. They are a large part of the equation when using fluorescent lamps.
How long do ballasts last?
According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use. The optimum economic life of a fluorescent lighting system with magnetic ballasts is usually about 15 years.
Why do fluorescent ballasts fail?
Flickering fluorescent tubes can cause the ballast to overheat and fail prematurely! 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 and ballast failure.
Why are my fluorescent lights flickering?
If your fluorescent bulbs flicker, most likely the problem is with the bulb itself. If the bulb is very dark on either end, it may be defective and burned out. The best way to test the functionality of a bulb is to put it into a fixture you know works. Flickering fluorescent lights can also be a result of temperature.
What does a bad ballast smell like?
A common source of these odors is the fluorescent light ballast. When called to such an incident, you typically will find an electrical odor or a haze of smoke. Overheating ballasts often exhibit symptoms. They may cause the bulb to flicker, shine, dim, or not work at all.
How much does it cost to install a ceiling light with existing wiring?
When you can use the existing wiring, installing new light fixtures will cost whatever you pay for the light itself, plus $50 – $100 per hour for an electrician to install them. Most people spend $150 to $500 to install a light fixture; the average is right around $400.
How much do electricians charge to change a light fixture?
The cost of hiring an electrician could range from about $35 to over $100 per hour. The average time need to install a light fixture is about 2 hours, so the total labor cost to install a fixture is between $70 and $200.
Is it the starter or the ballast?
In older fluorescent fixtures, the ballast, or choke, is a transformer that limits the current flowing into the tube, while the starter provides the high voltage needed to excite the tube when it is turned on.
Can anyone replace a ballast?
Yes. As a matter of fact, you do need a lock out tag out device in place for changing a ballast. ‘An electrician is replacing the ballast on a fluorescent light.
How long do fluorescent bulbs last?
LED tubes last an average of 50,000 hours (roughly 16 years) while fluorescent T8 tubes last an average of 25,000 (roughly 8 years).
How much does it cost to convert fluorescent to LED?
Replacing incandescent and compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs with LED bulbs will cost about $4 – $8 for a 10-Watt LED. Therefore, if you change 24 bulbs, it will cost $96 – $192 to replace those all at once.
Should I replace the ballast or the light fixture?
Magnetic ballasts are those that tend to hum when the lights are on, and when they go bad, they can drip a black tar-like substance down into the fixture. If your lights flicker or turn themselves off—and you’re sure it’s not due to bad tubes or bad sockets—it’s time to replace the ballast.
Why do fluorescent lights sometimes not turn on?
The fluorescent tube won’t turn on No electrical power due to a tripped breaker or blown fuse. A dead or dying ballast. A dead starter. A dead bulb.
