What is the black stuff in a ballast?

PCBs are contained within the light ballasts' capacitors and in the ballasts' potting material (a black tarlike substance used to protect the capacitor). As the ballast ages, it can overheat causing a burning or smoky odor or in some cases, causing tar from the potting material or oil to drip from the fixture.

Is ballast toxic?

Ballasts manufactured through 1979 may contain PCBs. PCB-containing ballasts become a concern if they are leaking or they will be removed and disposed of as hazardous waste. According to EPA Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations, the material must be incinerated.

What leaks out of a ballast?

Leaks of PCBs from ballasts typically take two forms: a clear to yellow, oily liquid, the PCB oil itself, or the liquefied potting material. If the ballast fails or overheats, the capacitor may break open and both its oil and the potting material may be released from the fixture.

What is the powder inside fluorescent tubes?

The white powder that you see inside a fluorescent light bulb is called phosphor, which is a substance that emits visible light whenever it absorbs ultra violet energy waves.

Is phosphor powder toxic?

Phosphor is a chemically engineered powder that comes from various natural elements. It is not toxic and does not contain mercury. Phosphor does not contain the element phosphorus.

Fluorescent Light Troubleshooting and Repair: starter, bulb or ballast?



Is fluorescent light powder toxic?

Broken fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs DO contain mercury, a toxic metal. Follow the EPA's guidelines for a safe clean up. Next, put all the broken glass, white powder from the tube, and the paper towel you wiped the area with, in a ziplock bag or sealed container.

How can you tell if the ballast is bad?

If your fluorescent lighting is displaying any of the signs below, it could be a symptom of a bad ballast:
  1. Flickering. ...
  2. Buzzing. ...
  3. Delayed start. ...
  4. Low output. ...
  5. Inconsistent lighting levels. ...
  6. Switch to an electronic ballast, keep lamp. ...
  7. Switch to an electronic ballast, switch to a T8 fluorescent.


What does a burnt 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.

Can a ballast cause a fire?

As with any electrical situation where overheating is possible, a bad ballast can pose a fire danger. The overheated ballast could cause the plastic housing on the light itself to melt and, in the right conditions, flame up.

Are old ballasts worth money?

Depending on their age, and their casing, even if they have to be scrapped, ballasts can be worth a couple of dollars. According to current listings, if you can resell one that's in fantastic condition, you can often get $13 to $20 for the average ballast! These are ones in great condition.

Do ballasts contain mercury?

Recycling Companies. Fluorescent lighting ballasts contain mercury and some contain PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), which are both considered hazardous and therefore illegal to dispose of with regular trash.

How long do fluorescent ballasts last?

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 can you tell how old a ballast is?

Five Digit Date Code (Ballasts with “Version P_” indicated on the label)
  1. The first 2 digits (11) refer to the year of manufacture, 2011.
  2. The second 2 digits (42) refer to the week of manufacture.


Do fluorescent light ballasts contain mercury?

Fluorescent lamps contain the toxic heavy metal mercury. Magnetic ballasts made prior to the late 1970s contain highly toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

When were PCB ballasts banned?

EPA recommends that school administrators and building owners consider removing and replacing HID ballasts that contain PCBs. In 1976, Congress banned PCB manufacturing in the United States due to their toxic effects.

What causes a ballast to overheat?

Ballast overheating can result from: High line voltage. Poor lamp maintenance. High temperature around the fixture.

Why is my ballast hot?

Any issue that causes excess voltage to run through the fluorescent bulb ballast leads to overheating, and incorrect wiring during the construction of the fixture or installation is one of the most common causes of this problem.

Do fluorescent lights smoke when they burn out?

LEDs and incandescent bulbs have no such safety instructions. Matt says it's uncommon for CFLs to emit smoke and odor when they burn out, but it can happen. “It's nothing to really be alarmed about," he said. "You wait for it to cool down, unscrew the bulb and then dispose of it in the proper manner."

Can a ballast be repaired?

Sometimes, the colour coding on the old ballast does not match the new ballast. We recommend that you always hire a qualified electrician to have a ballast repair or ballast replacement service done.

Will LED lights work with bad ballast?

Since plug and play LEDs are compatible with ballasts, you can simply remove a fluorescent bulb and replace it with an LED. Since no additional modification or wiring is required, it's as easy as replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs in your home.

How much is it to replace a ballast?

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.

What happens if you breathe in a broken fluorescent bulb?

Mercury vapor is released when the bulb is broken. Inhaling mercury vapor is hazardous to your health. Breathing in mercury vapors may cause symptoms such as cough, fever, difculty breathing, nausea, vomiting, headaches, increased salivation and an acute metallic taste in the mouth.

Are fluorescent lights poisonous when broken?

When broken, mercury vapors may be released into the air. The mercury released from broken bulb is mostly in vapor form. If properly cleaned up, broken bulbs or CFLs do not pose a serious health risk.

How much mercury is in a 4 foot fluorescent bulb?

The average mercury content of a 4-foot-long bulb manufactured today is approximately 12 mg. Bulbs manufactured in the mid-1980s and earlier con- tained 40 mg or more. Low-mercury bulbs, containing 4 mg or less, are currently produced by at least one manufacturer.

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