Anyone else having T-5 Ballast problems?

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davedottcom

davedottcom

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I installed (2) Illuminated shelving units each one having (1) 28 Watt T5 lamp with a tiny (1" x 1" x 11" ) Electronic Ballast. I have replaced (5) ballasts, each one burning out within days or even hours of being installed. The last (2) I feild tested in my shop for days... worked great. I also tested them in front of the customer by installing temp. cords and plugging them in... worked fine again. They only lasted a few hours inside the shelf units. I have tested 122 Volts under load and I am completely baffled! The customer also has an illuminted bed frame on the same circuit, with the same exact lamps and they all work fine. I mention that only to rule out any possibility of the AFCI breaker causing problems.
The shelf units, when installed over the lighting fixture, completely "enclose" the lamp & ballast with no air vents... could that be over heating the ballasts?
The fixtures are imported from Italy and use VLM BT5HL/U/35 ballasts.
The lamps are OSRAM FH 28W/840 (Italy)
Any ideas?
:-?
 
We have had some issues with over heating of the T-5 fixtures. I?m always leery about foreign manufacturers I have not heard of the VLM ballast, but you might want to switch ballast with Universal or Advance, they both have a good products.
 
VLM is a Scandinavian company. New to me too!
Switching ballast-brands was going to be my next step.

Thanks!
 
from my checklist (elex means electronic)

from my checklist (elex means electronic)

FLOURESCENT TROUBLESHOOTING
-blackening on ends, severe: filaments not heated, low ambient temp, poor contact
-blackening within 1 inch of end: normal mercury deposit, should disappear with use
-blinking, shimmering effect or dense blackening at one or both ends of tube extending 2 or 3 inches from base: normal end of lamp life
-blinking or dim: cold drafts hitting lamp
-dark lengthwise streaks: mercury, turn lamp over
-dim: dirty bulb
-EMI: ungrounded elex ballast for instant start
-ring, brown, at one end or both, 2 inches from base: normal
-short life: high ambient temperature or voltage surge for elex ballast instant start
-slow starting in high humidity: dirty lamps or low supply voltage
-swirling, spiralling, fluttering: cold temps, low input voltage, ballast/lamp compatibility, bad ballast, new lamp.
-short lamp or starter or ballast life, lamp won't start: miswired ballast (for a two lamp fixture, both ends of the same lamp must glow when you short the starter connections).
-blackening at one end, flickering, slimline or instart ballast will eventually fail (because filament is not heated). Electronic slimline ballasts are not affected by lamp failure.
-one lamp bright and the other dark on a two lamp rapid start means a pinched yellow lead.

GROUND THE BALLAST
 
Dave .,,

I dont know why but the word " VLM " keep ringing the bell to me senice my european days most were old 50 HZ ballasted and normally they were a reactor type with choke coil that time.

anyway i just cant rember which forum i belive it was from the Miltary forum they did have some issue with the 50 HZ ballast [ i doubt it will tie into this but kinda head up with it ]

with the electronic ballast it should be rated for both 50 and 60 HZ supply and 120 and 240 volts rating.

Merci, Marc
 
Marc, it is labeled as follows:

BT5HL/U/35 Electronic Ballast
V = 120V 50-60 Hz
I= 0.4-0.5A
Lamps T5 1x28-35W
Preheating Time 1.5s
ta -15 ....50 (degrees)
U - OUT = 250V

According to the label, it should be ok. I'm going to try a different brand.

Thanks!
 
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