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Ballast connection "browning",should I worry about FIRE! (PIC)
- Thread starter samba
- Start date
Y
yamaha_1fan
I am just going to make some observations and comments to start a thought process. I may be wrong.
Is this the only ballast? What kind of circuit?
The wire also looks brown, near the connection. I am thinking there is some type of heat buildup in the connector. Are the connections tight? How old is the ballast? Maybe you need to clean the connectors with sandpaper/alcohol etc to make better contact?
Is this the only ballast? What kind of circuit?
The wire also looks brown, near the connection. I am thinking there is some type of heat buildup in the connector. Are the connections tight? How old is the ballast? Maybe you need to clean the connectors with sandpaper/alcohol etc to make better contact?
TokeItUp420
New member
I would cut off the brown area and re-due the connections. Better off being safe than sorry. And it should only take you 2 min. if that.
Peace...
Toke
Peace...
Toke
samba
Active member
Yes, I only have the one 600 w ballast
25A@240V, if I understand the meaning of the word circuit
They should be, I haven't checked, but they where when it was installed. There shouldn't be any external heat,(it's not close to anything hot
Not sure,I got it 2nd hand, but I guess about 2 years
I'll try that at lights of
samba
Active member
I'll do that at lights of. I probably don't have the right sandpaper or alcohol anyway...
Sweet Inc.
Member
I've seen this in other places too. Looks to me like there was a connection failiure, wich caused a spark. Sparks fly all the time, but we don't see them, because these places are enclosed for a reason. Redo the connection and u should be fine.
But wait for some more opinions if u ain't in a hurry.
Edit: Is the connection for the power cord or the bulb? This could explain something...
But wait for some more opinions if u ain't in a hurry.
Edit: Is the connection for the power cord or the bulb? This could explain something...
Stay Puft
Member
Most likely a bad connection like yamaha_1fan said. The bad connection creates resistance which results in heat at the bad connection.
I would cut back the browned part of wire. Also clean the contact area in the screw terminal. (remove set-screw, needle file helps)
Another option would be to move the wires to a unused terminal, but it looks as if that terminal strip is attached to the ballast in you pic.
Keep an eye on it after a couple days and see
The other possibility (less likely IMHO) is a problem with the ballast (load) you could take a current measurement to see if it is drawing too much.
I would cut back the browned part of wire. Also clean the contact area in the screw terminal. (remove set-screw, needle file helps)
Another option would be to move the wires to a unused terminal, but it looks as if that terminal strip is attached to the ballast in you pic.
Keep an eye on it after a couple days and see
The other possibility (less likely IMHO) is a problem with the ballast (load) you could take a current measurement to see if it is drawing too much.
samba
Active member
Yes! it and another wire go to the next connection and from there to the bulb
samba
Active member
This is a interesting point. I was playing around with a watt meter and the light only pulls about 500W+ electricity and its a 600W ballast!
That wire is clearly over-heating. Is there a way to replace the entire terminal block with individual wire nuts? Or at least this one wire and the wire it connects to?
Also, it looks like that wire is pulling out of the terminal block because it is too short. You can correct that by splicing in a short length of wire, using a wire nut.
It doesn't appear that there is a reason to replace the ballast. But there is definitely a reason to re-wire it.
Also, it looks like that wire is pulling out of the terminal block because it is too short. You can correct that by splicing in a short length of wire, using a wire nut.
It doesn't appear that there is a reason to replace the ballast. But there is definitely a reason to re-wire it.
I've seen this happen to heaps of electronic cables and connectors. Most of the time its just heat affecting the plastic surroundings over a long period of time. You will get heat from cables when there is large draws on them, this doesnt mean they cables are not rated for the job though.
That plastic connector is more than likely brittle, and id be more concerned about the connector falling apart and exposing wandering hands to a live screw down point or cable than fire, so as others have stated, in the name of safety (and not dying) i would take it apart, inspect the connectors and wires, clean the connectors, strip back some of the wire and reconnect a new clean part of it to the terminal. In fact, even possibly think about replacing the entire harness with heavier gauge wires.
That plastic connector is more than likely brittle, and id be more concerned about the connector falling apart and exposing wandering hands to a live screw down point or cable than fire, so as others have stated, in the name of safety (and not dying) i would take it apart, inspect the connectors and wires, clean the connectors, strip back some of the wire and reconnect a new clean part of it to the terminal. In fact, even possibly think about replacing the entire harness with heavier gauge wires.
Sweet Inc.
Member
My point in better words.
I play safe and overdo my cables, go for 2-4mm2 cable. US gauge's are beyond my comprehension. Fatter cable=less resistance=less heat.
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