Actual ballast failure rates

[Ragin Cajun]

I just installed six high end fixtures in my home office. The fixtures were actually made in USA and very good quality and heavy sheet metal. The overall lighting was excellent.

The ballasts were Sylvania step dimming for F54 T5-HO lamps. One ballast will go only 50% but not 100%. Made in China, naturally. That's 1 out of 6.

Had another project where the contractor had quite a few ballast failures, don't remember the numbers but they were also the same lamps.

What has been your experience with ballast failures at installation?

RC

 

[K8MHZ]

Made in China, naturally.

Sadly, you have pretty much summed it up with the above statement.

 

[hurk27]

There are a lot of things that can cause premature ballast failure, poor fixture design that causes allot of heat build up around the ballast, cycle time, a ballast that is turned on and off allot, dirty power, allot of motor/coil loads, fixtures not grounded, leaving bad lamps in the fixture, and last but least cheap ballast as you mention.

Did I miss anything?

 

[iwire]

Been having a 'discussion' about this same topic on another forum and a lighting guy was very happy to tell me that he was involved with a new wall-mart with about 2000 ballasts, he said the failure rate was about 5% like that was entirely acceptable. So 100 failed .... how many trips did that make for the EC?

If 5% of our terminations failed we would be out of business.

 

[jumper]

I have had a major failure rate of Sylvania ballasts for F32 T8 lamps in my shop. I would guess almost 10%.

I replace with Advance and am happy with them. I have used GE also without issue.

 

[jes25]

I don't believe that something is necessarily of low quality just because it is made in China.

 

[Ragin Cajun]

By the way, these were costly, high end ballasts with step dimming. Just cheaply made?

The ballast in question was not on long before it failed to 50% only. Fixture was solidly grounded, new lamps, etc.

RC

 

[iwire]

I don't believe that something is necessarily of low quality just because it is made in China.

I do. ..................................

 

[stevenje]

I don't believe that something is necessarily of low quality just because it is made in China.

Your kidding, right?

I remember it used to be fun to pull out the old made in the USA magnetic ballast on a service call and turn them over and see a manufacturing date that was 15 years old. Some of these fixtures ran 18 hours a day all year long. Now we are replacing made in China ballasts after a couple of years. Garbage with a capital G.

 

[chris1971]

Soon everything will come from China. Isn't that a shame!!!!

 

[jes25]

I'm saying that the Chinese are capable of creating a quality product. Often they do not, but many products that you use every day are made in China and perform as designed. The "China sucks" thing is skewed by our sense of patriotism.

 

[LarryFine]

Soon everything will come from China.

Even china. :grin:

 

[jumper]

I'm saying that the Chinese are capable of creating a quality product. Often they do not, but many products that you use every day are made in China and perform as designed. The "China sucks" thing is skewed by our sense of patriotism.

Well said.

Now lets get back to ballasts. (this is not directed towards you)