On 12/13/2021 8:22 PM, Adam wrote:
On 12/13/2021 04:27 PM, Mike Easter wrote:
Adam wrote:
Is it better to replace bad ballast or bypass ballast and convert to
LED tubes (which are more expensive and has safety recall issues) ?
The last time I had a fixture ballast problem it was cheaper and easier
to replace the fixture than to replace the ballast. This was a cheap
'shop type' fixture which was inside an architectural housing and diffuser. >>
Historically - in my past - I've replaced ballasts lots of times. That
was the conventional way of dealing w/ the problem. This time the cost
of the ballast vs the cost of the fixture were about the same. Home Depot. >>
I opened it up enough to get the make / model of the light fixture but not enough to get to the make / model of the ballast.
Light fixture is Lightolier 5483WHU, which apparently has been superseded by...
Lightolier Belmont – 4′ Bath, White 2-Lt 32W T8, 120-277V – 5493WHU https://www.lightoliertracklighting.com/product/lightolier-belmont-4-bath-white-2-lt-32w-t8-120-277v-5493whu/
The light fixture is based on something like...
LIGHTOLIER, SW4S232HPFUNVHI 2 Lamp 4' T8 Instant start FLUORESCENT STRIP LAMP https://www.ebay.com/itm/LIGHTOLIER-SW4S232HPFUNVHI-2-Lamp-4-T8-Instant-start-FLUORESCENT-STRIP-LAMP/173490229329
Fluorescent ballasts (~$25) are relatively cheap to replace.
How to choose a "quality" fluorescent ballast ?
The last item in your examples, that's an electronic ballast (SW4S232HPFUNVHI). Double-clicking the Ebay picture got a close-up, in the middle pane.
There should be a smoother start to that. There are at least a couple
kinds of ballasts, and you'd probably want to replace like with like
so there is no slow or disappointing start behavior. The older ballasts probably have a chunk of iron inside (higher shipping weight) and
those hum a bit. The ballasts in my basement, are the old kind.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_ballast#Electronic_ballasts
Fluorescents have a problem with their cold start. The material inside
the tube, is condensed, and is no longer a "vapor". One way to vaporize
some material inside the tube, is for the end filaments to heat up. Then,
a moderate start voltage might be enough to strike a conducting current.
The other method, is to short out the filament and not use it, then
apply an extra-high voltage to strike the arc. Then, set up the power
supply voltage versus load curve, such that as more current is drawn, the voltage output is reduced. In a sense, an electronic ballast is not
"regulated" like a wall adapter. The voltage is not a constant. The
voltage varies between "strike" and "burn" values. Strike being the value needed to get a cold tube to conduct, burn being the value which is sufficient if a plasma is already in the tube. You can even PWM the plasma, up to a
point, before it extinguishes and an electronic ballast has to go back
to strike voltage to restart it.
The downside of the power supply behavior, is the correct PSU has to be selected for the load. You would not try to run a seven foot tube, off
a four foot power supply (ballast might shut off on overcurrent). That's possibly why the Ebay example has a list of tubes that one would support.
The intent is for the load curve, to match the load type.
*******
As for AIOE, Paolo blocks a group to posting, when he receives an "abuse complaint".
Shutting the group, is so other server administrators don't complain or de-peer him.
https://news.aioe.org/tools/groupslist/
The green color indicates it is blocked to posting. Groups stay blocked
for random periods of time. It could be green in color for a day or a year. Usually, this blockade is the work of a single kook... typically blockage
is a weekend thing (the kook likes to practice craft on weekend). The funny thing
is, if you examine the group later, you can hardly notice anyone kooking out in it.
So if someone is abusing it, it's pretty hard to tell from the normal level
of noise.
https://news.aioe.org/tools/groupslist/index.php?id=groupslist&group=alt.home.repair&exclude=4
For comparison, the coloration for this group is white, indicating R/W is possible (fully working)
https://news.aioe.org/tools/groupslist/index.php?id=groupslist&group=alt.os.linux.ubuntu&exclude=4
This is known affectionately as the "banlist" - when you see the message on AIOE,
it is the group that is banned, not the person. As it's pretty hard to ban people
on AIOE (lack of reliable header field to filter on). At least one poster was banned based on name, because the individual insisted on signing posts with
his full name, and so a filter with his name in it was used to block him.
I don't think anyone explained to him, how to bypass this :-)
Paul
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