How to Test an Electronic Ballast with a Digital Multimeter?

(MENAFN- iCrowdNewsWire)   Jan 11, 2021  1:07 AM ET

People may face a lot of issues regarding their lighting systems. Delayed start, flickering, low output, buzzing, etc. Have you encountered any of that?

If you experience some of these problems with your lighting system, you can always test your electronic ballast with a Digital Multimeter . May be your lab teacher in school asked you to show him.

Maybe you're wondering what are these devices, how you're gonna use these devices to solve my problem?

We're gonna discuss that in this article. Let's find out!

Electronic Ballast

It is an electronic device that controls the initial voltage and the operating currents of lighting devices. Sometimes it is called control gear intended to limit the amount of current in an electric circuit.

It works on the principle of electric gas discharge. It is the part of the circuit that limits the flow of current through the lighting devices. It is responsible for the controlled flow of electrical energy to heat the lamp electrodes. By converting power frequency to very high, it initializes the gas discharge process in fluorescent lamps.

How Does It Work?

It receives a supply of 50-60 Hz. First, it is used to convert AC to DC. It creates high-frequency AC 20 kHz to 80 kHz. Then the step-up transformer creates the voltage level up to 1000V. That's why gas discharge takes place instantaneously. Once the tube light glows, the voltage across the lamp is decreased below 230V. Then this electronic ballast allows a low current to flow through this lamp.

What Is a Multimeter?

A multimeter is a multitester, known as a VOM (volt-ohm-milliammeter) that measures electrical, current, voltage, resistance, and other values. Electricians prefer this tool for troubleshooting electrical problems on motors, appliances, circuits, power supplies, and wiring systems.

There are two versions of multimeter:

Analog multimeter

• Based on needles that move over the graduated scale.
• It is less expensive.
• It is less durable.
• It has less accuracy rate.

Digital multimeter

• It has an LCD screen.
• It is expensive.
• It is more durable.
• It has a higher accuracy rate.

How to Test Your Electronic Ballast

The basic principle of operation of multimeters is similar in both versions.

Steps to Follow

A. Disconnecting The Power:

First of all, you have to disconnect the electric supply to the light. You should allow dissipating the remaining electrical energy by waiting for a while. Then remove the fluorescent bulb, also known as tombstones, which is extremely fragile. So it needs to be kept in a safe place where they will not get broken.

B. Discovering The Ballast:

A protective cover that hides the ballast has to remove by using a screwdriver. Then take a look at the ballast. If you observe an oil leak, you have to replace it. Leaking oil means that the internal seal has been ruptured due to excessive heat.

C. Testing The Ballast:

There are three wire leads. One end has two leads, and the other has one lead. Blue or yellow lead indicates power wires, and white will be the neutral lead. Turn on the ohm settings of the multimeter to check the ballast's side. Yellow or blue leads are the power wires, while white indicates neutrality.

The multimeter should indicate a direct short. Touch multimeter's probes. The working ballast will read a continuous circuit otherwise, you need to replace it.

Similarly, we need to check the other pairs of white and any of the color wires. If they test positive, you can start testing the ballast's low voltage side.

D. Testing Low Voltage Side:

If you pass step 3, you will need to test the low voltage side of the transformer. You need to start by removing the nuts from the black and white wire that run from the power feed side of the ballast.

Now touch the probes of your volt-ohm meter to the black and white wires. If it will show a continuous circuit, it works properly. Otherwise, you will need a replacement.

Conclusion:

Check the wire connections that run from the tombstones. Sometimes one wire can run loose and cause your ballast not to function properly. We hope you can test your electronic ballast with ease and perfection.

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