What is a light ballast

An electrical ballast is a device placed in line with the load to limit the amount of current in an electrical circuit. It may be a fixed or variable resistor. A familiar and widely used example is the inductive ballast used in fluorescent lamps to limit the current through the tube,. In a fluorescent lighting system, the ballast regulates the current to the lamps and provides sufficient voltage to start the lamps.

Without a ballast to limit its current, a fluorescent lamp connected directly to a high voltage power source would rapidly and uncontrollably increase its current draw. Examples of gas discharge light sources include fluorescent and neon lights and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps.

The term lighting ballast can refer to any component. When loading, the ballast is discharged in proportion to the cargo taken aboard. Answering questions with only “Thanks for the two points”, “Pick me as. If standard light, cut the power and check the switch out.

Light ballasts are used to restrict the current flow from an electrical connection to a fluorescent bulb. This restriction is needed because without a regular, fluorescent bulbs will grow in current consumption as they warm up. The ballast (sometimes called control gear) is a small device wired to the light ’s circuitry which restricts the amount of electrical current travelling through it.

Because your home’s mains power has a higher voltage than the light needs to operate, the ballast gives the light a small boost of voltage to start and then just enough of a supply to stay running safely. They provide it with the correct voltage for start-up and the running of the lamp.

Without a ballast , the lamp would draw too much power, causing it to burn out quickly - sometimes even within a few minutes. Modern Fluorescent light use pulse starts technique to start the lamp and this pulse starting components are embedded inside the ballast itself. It is called rapid start lamp. Here ballast sent channeled and configured the current to the electrodes continuously to get it heated.

To safely replace the ballast in your fluorescent light , turn off the lamp, remove it, and check the voltage of the feed wires with a voltmeter. Then, use a nut driver to unscrew the nut holding the ballast in place and install the replacement ballast. Huge Savings on Fluorescent Tubes. Free Shipping On Orders Over £45! Securely Checkout In Seconds.

Find Great Daily Deals on Lighting Online. Metal halide (MH) lamps, as with all HID lamps, use a ballast to regulate circuit conditions – voltage, current, and waveform – for starting and operating the device. In short: ballasts power the light bulbs.

Grow lamps are low-resistance devices when they are burning, but they need a high voltage to get started. A lighting ballast has three primary functions: establish an electric arc through the lamp. A ballast provides both.

When you power up a lamp, the ballast provides a high enough voltage to get the ar. It refers to that part of the circuit which limits the flow of current through the lighting device and may vary from being a single resistor to a bigger, complex device. The purpose of this device was to limit the amount of current in an electrical circuit.

The bit that is aggregate and sharp sand is known collectively as as ' ballast ' and is sold as such ready-mixed in tonne bags etc. Shop ballasts in the commercial lighting section of Lowes. Find quality ballasts online or in store.

Ballasts vary greatly in complexity.