My Uncle had a patch on one eye and when he would finish showing us how to do something he would say "You should be able to do it in half the time since you have two eyes!" He was a great man and would be proud of this video you produced! Thank you.
This was very helpful. Thanks! And when I dropped a screw on the floor, I remembered you saying, "we always have to drop something on the floor!" And I smiled instead of getting annoyed about it.
I’ve needed to replace the ballast now for a little while and watched your video just to refresh thank you. Love the speaking French and calling it Spanish 😂! Good video
This is a very informative and helpful video!! I was extremely intimidated when I saw the ballast. now I think I have the confidence to pull this task off!! Thanks!!
Who lives in a pineapple under the Sea?... The Ballasts in our kitchen finally "Walked the plank" after 20 years! They certainly served their purpose. Thank you for the great video. May the "Wind be in your sails" my friend. Doing it myself saved me some Doubloons. 🌞
Thank you. We have a kitchen light out bought new light but they don't work. I didn't want to pay someone money when I knew I could figure it out myself. Thanks for the tips have a great day my Friend
Great video. My bulbs stopped working today. I hope it is just the bulbs but feel after your great explaination I can handle the job if it is the ballast. I hope it is just bulbs though. I know like you I will drop something on the floor because I usually do. I was glad to learn I am not alone. Thanks so much for the video.
Excellent instructions! I was lucky and the light was horizontal on the wall above the bathroom mirror. Disconnect the hot and neutral wires, pull two screws holding the light fixture to the wall, and I was able to take the fixture out to my den and change out the ballast on an old TV tray. Reversed the process, turned on the breaker, and I have light again in my bathroom, the first time in a week. BTW, the light had been flickering for a few days. I shut down the light with the switch, and when I turned it on again, there was a noise like a gunshot and the smell of overheated electrical components, at which time i turned off the breaker. So a ballast can go quietly, but sometimes it goes out with a bang!
I super appreciate this video because I just needed to know how to get the fluorescent light housing kit open. thanks for showing all the details because it allowed me to go up to the part of my similar project that I needed.
Very well presented overall...but I agree with an earlier commenter's sentiment, it would have been a good idea to mention shutting off the circuit breaker to the light fixture earlier, before you start monkeying with the wires inside. It would also be useful to show how to use a non-contact voltage tester to insure the circuit is actually off. If someone doesn't know which breaker the fixture is on, and nothing else is on that breaker, they will have no other way of safely telling if the power has been shut off.
Hey there, thank you for your very detailed and instructional video. I have to install a couple ballasts tomorrow at my job and have never installed one before Ill subscribe and check out more of your videos
When the wire nuts are removed from the old ballast, good practice is to clip the twisted ends of the wires and then strip them so that they have straight bare ends that are about the same length as the straight stripped ends of the wires from the new ballast. Then twist the wire nut until there are a few turns of the insulated wire just behind the wire nut. You want to do this so that the spring in the wire nut twists together the bare ends inside. This is especially important for the black and white lines where you're tying together three conductors. One of the common causes of failures and even fires is arcing inside the wire nut because the conductors are not fully twisted together.
Love this video bro.....just one thing for safety. Make sure people know to shut off the light switch and main breaker first so they don't get shocked!!! Because what if its not actually a bad ballast and energy is still flowing into it when they try to handle the wires....just saying.....
@@thepiratehandyman2225 No problem bro. I myself have made a few dumb choices in the past and got my ass zapped!! I know first hand it sucks like hell when it happens...lmao...Your installation video was great though brother!!! Now walk the plank me matey!!! LOL....
Got a T5 fixture in my bathroom mirror that's been bad for almost a decade now. Finally decided to buy myself a new ballast and gonna give it a go when it comes time to changing. Dang shops in Switzerland sure don't make it easy to find the right one though. Also didn't help that the SIS214A that came with the unit doesn't have replacements on the market available for purchase, so had to go with a Philips HF-P 2 14-35 TL5 HE III 220-240V - knowing that my unit is a 2x14W T5 fixture which takes HE 14W/840 bulbs. First tried replacing the Philips T5 bulbs when they both stopped working simultaneously, but I guess I didn't even need to do that because what are the chances both would burn out simultaneously? 😂
Aye, matey, just make sure you follow the wiring diagram on the new ballast. If it doesn't specify exactly which blue wire goes to a another specific blue wire, then it shouldn't matter. Smooth sailin'!
Thanks for this video. I am trying to do some simple general maintenance at my job and these videos are a big help. However, I have one question. There seems to be two blue wires on these things. How will I know which blue wire from the fixtures to connect to what blue wire the ballast?
@@thepiratehandyman2225 Neither diagram nor any other instructions specify show what wire go to what wire. Basically it doesn't matter which red go to which red, as long as it the same color it should work. I think.
Sorry if this question has an obvious answer, but when you are reconnecting the wires (red to red, blue to blue, etc.) does it matter which red from the ballast goes to which red from the fixture? Or do they just need to be any of the same colour?
The wiring diagram on the new ballast should show you exactly how to wire it up. If it's not clear, go back to where you purchased the unit, and have them show you.
The wiring diagram on the new ballast should show you exactly how to wire it up. If it's not clear, go back to where you purchased the unit, and have them show you.
Can I take out a fluorescent light and switch? It was something more modern. This is in a kitchen in a mobile home we bought. There is a sign on the light that I took out that says use P type only does that mean to put something different and I need to change wires
Hmmm, that be a good question, matey. It could have something to do with wiring code for mobile homes. I would check with a local electrician or the local building inspector.
I have a flourescent light in my garage that doesn’t like to work when it rains but does when it’s dry. Do you think changing the ballast will fix this?
I would definitely call an electrician. I've never heard of something like this caused by a ballast. It sounds more like a wiring issue, and a fire risk.
Thanks for the video. It really helped. The nuts had electrical tape on it when I took them off though. I just put them back on without it. Is electrical tape really required though?
Can you do a huge favor? Can you show us / me how to replace a bathroom ceiling fan vent! I had a guy leave me hanging he started and never completed the job. It's literally hanging I stuffed it back up until I can fix it myself. I'm pretty sure I can do it. I know you can walk me through it. Thank you ! ❤️
Im in the middle of changing a two ballast fixture. The numbers matched, but im off to return the new ballast I picked up because the wiring diagram is different. Dont be like me, confirm they match first before you leave the hardware store.
Lol your clock said 3:17 then at the end said 4 til 12 . So something didn't add up although the work you did was very accurate. Just interesting to see. You are pretty awesome ,so don't think I was saying anything negative. Just funny when you said 45 mins right in front of the clock which said nuh uh 😂
Aye, matey, the magic of editing! The 45 minutes was elapsed time, just not in a row - LOL! Thank you for your kind words, no negativity perceived - just your keen observation skills!
Easiest way is to unscrew the old one,let it hang with the wires still installed...screw in the new one,and you've got the old one hanging in front of you as a guide to show exactly what to do with the one above you 😁
Very excellent video and helpful, but the question to be raised is it necessary to switch off the power from the circuit breaker because I changed the ballast after I switched off the light switch, followed by circuit tester to confirm there's no power?
Aye, if ye confirmed there was no power, theen ye should be okay. However, sometimes the switch may be wired so that one side is still "hot" and if you touch the hot wire while another part of your body is grounded, then your body completes the circuit and ye be in for a shock! I prefer just being safe and turning off the circuit breaker.
which numbers on the ballast am I supposed to match up? The old one has model number, volts, amps, lamp type, hertz, ocv?, and it has a manufacture code. The new one for sale has a lower OCV and slightly 0.1 higher amps. The new one wires in parallel, the old one is series so it only had two wires.
Aye, lass, it can be confusing. The number is usually in a large yellow box. The best thing to do is take a picture of the numbers, including voltage and amperage information and take it to your local hardware store or parts store, show them the oictures, and they can help you select the proper replacement.
Q: What if the wire from the original ballast run continuously (no connectors) from the ballast to the end of the bulb housing / fixture? Cut them, connect them per the video?
What if this is in a office setting can i just turn the light switch off and replace the ballast or will I need to completely turn off the power via breaker
Generally, when the ballast is going out, it takes more than one "flip of the switch" to get the light to come on, and it gets worse over time, until it simple won't come on. If it's the "tombstones," they usually lose their connection very quickly, and no amount of switch-flipping will get the light to come on.
Why did you not thread the new ballast wires into the end lamp "socket"? In other words, remove the red and blue wires from the end lamp socket and connect the new ballast wires directly to the socket?
Always remember that the black wire is the hot wire, like the red one. The black wire must connect with another black wire or brown wire if you have one that coming from the switch and breaker.
@@thepiratehandyman2225 Sometimes the wires can burn 🔥 including the red wires and the black wire can catch fire 🔥 if they didn't wire correctly and the fluorescent light ballast can burn. Lastly the breaker trip and electric sparks.
We have several lights that are behind opaque plastic in the kitchen. Some of the lights come on and off, and some of them are dim. I’ve tried replacing the bulbs and there’s still an issue. Can a bad ballast cause lights to be dim or intermittent? I’ve pulled the removable opaque plastic away and I’ve tried turning the bulbs and they come on. If I turn the light off and wait an hour and turn it back on, it doesn’t light again or it’s dim. Is that typically a bad ballast something else?
I got a light for free that didn't come with a ballast, so I need to buy one. But is there anything I need to know bf I go out and buy one? I hv no wiring diagrams or nothin!! Will the info on the light such as the brand and part number help? Thx.
Aye, matey, write down the brand, part number, and part number of the bulb. Take this to your local hardware store or lighting store, and they should be able to give you the correct ballast. The wiring diagram should be on the new ballast.
I wish RU-vid allowed photos. My Ballast doesn’t have a number on it. It has a white Ignition in the fixture. I replaced it and it still will not light. How do I replace the Ballast if it doesn’t have a number on it? Starring and Company INC is no longer in existence I guess. It says Bridgeport, Conn. but couldn’t find a listing. I would appreciate any advice Please?
Aye, lass, I would take it to a local hardware store that sells ballasts. Someone who knows the trade should be able to help you. Let me know if this works!
Do you have a VOM (volt/ohm meter)? When you turn of the switch, I would use the meter to make sure the wires aren't "live," and then you could proceed. Just be careful - electricity is very unforgiving!
Hey I can't disconnect the power by flipping the breaker I work in a office building first time maintenance guy here if I just flip the light switch off will that still kill the power without risk of electricity killing me?
@@thepiratehandyman2225 Thank you. I'm tentative of trying this, I did find the circuit breaker to power off the light fixture. 'nother question: There are two sets of the light fixture up there. Each like in your video, each has two tube lights. I have a ballast replacement for one, haven't put it in yet. Now the other set is flickering too. (I had removed light tubes from the first one and the second fixture was working for many months. Until now) I haven't looked inside it yet. Will I expect the second fixture to have its own ballast? If so, would it be the same type as the other fixture beside it?
Aye, it sounds like the second one is going out, as well. It should have the same ballast as the first, but you need to look at the part number on the second ballast to be sure, Also, if you are getting the new ballast from your local hardware store, as one of the experts there your wiring question. They should be able to help you. Let me know!
@@thepiratehandyman2225 your welcome! although some might say that i am being inefficient because of what i did, i really could care less because i love the buzz and the start up of magnetically ballasted fluorescent fixtures.
