I have a tall florescent floor lamp that doesn't work. Is is possible to replace the ballast in something so tall? I'm not having any luck finding anything at the local home improvement stores and no one seems to know anything.
Or is it too much of a hassle, or even possible, to dismantle the sections and re-run the wiring? Thanks in advance!
2006-11-11 02:53:53 · 4 answers · asked by thexena1 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
It is a florescent lamp... they burn much cooler and use a lot less energy than the standard halogen lamp.
As far as the ballast goes, I'm assuming that's what it is... It's not a rectangular ballast like I've seen in stores. It's a round unit in the top of the lamp bowl, wires and cord strung through the tubular body of the lamp. It's a torch-style lamp, about 6 feet tall.
2006-11-11 04:17:08 · update #1
You might try looking for the maker's name on the lamp and then check the internet. More and more companies have sites chock full of infomration regarding their products. Many even have exploded views of their products to assist in determining where a particular art is located. They will tell you whether you can order a particular part, etc.
I've turned to this method more and more, especially wood working tools and home appliances. You can even download some instruction booklets and manuals too. Definetly a process to consider.
I don't see why you couldn't replace the ballast. I've found that a lot of DIY projects are far less complicated than I thought they would be. Your task probably won't be very hard either, once you get good info and a clear understanding of what you have to do. Good luck.
2006-11-11 15:18:20 · answer #1 · answered by stretch 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not an electrician but the ones I've fixed have been pretty easy. You just need to remove the bulbs and the panel from the fixture. The ballast is a black metal box with wires going in and out. The ballast will be attached in some fashion to the top (ceiling side) of the fixture - may be some type of clip system or screws. With the power off (it's safest to turn it off at the circuit breaker), clip the wires or remove the wire nuts at the splice and remove the ballast from the fixture. Attach the new ballast and re-wire. Just remember how the wires were attached originally and do it the same way - the wire colors may or may not match so make sure you note how they were attached before you remove it. You may need to strip the ends of the wires to splice the wires from the new ballast into the wires from the fixture. You also may need to shorten the wires from the new ballast a little bit so you don't have a bunch of excess wire to deal with - obviously you don't want to cut so much that you can't connect the wires. Twist the ends of the ballast wires to the ends of the correct wires from the fixture in a clockwise direction and screw on a wire nut. Re-attach the panel and replace the bulbs turn the power back on and then turn the light on from the switch to make sure it works. The tools you'll need are a screwdriver (probably Philips head but have a flat head just in case), wire strippers, wire nuts, a flashlight if there's insufficient light in your work area, and possibly electrical tape. You may want to have someone show you how to do it first just to be safe. You are dealing with electricity after all.
2016-05-22 05:10:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
need more info, do you know its a ballast? if so can you see it? if its a ballast its pretty simple simply remove it and buy another and replace..
2006-11-11 02:58:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you sure it's florecent, and not halogen?
I've never seen a florecent floor lamp.
2006-11-11 04:06:00 · answer #4 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋