Universal Ballast

Universal Ballast

Usually when you think about lighting and energy efficiency you think about florescent or LED bulbs, or natural lighting. But you may be missing a major energy efficiency issue in lighting: air infiltration. This energy thief preys upon recessed lighting - can lights, high hats or pot lights - a highly attractive lighting type for homeowners and builders alike. They are simple, inexpensive, easy to install, and very clean looking. But many of these lights allow lots of energy loss.

Not all recessed lighting is created equal. The cheapest can lights available are littered with holes. Cut a hole in your ceiling and pop one of those in, and you have effectively left a 10 square-inch hole in your ceiling air barrier. As you heat or cool your home, conditioned air literally gushes out through these openings. Home Performance Assessments, which test your fixtures to see just how leaky they are, reveal this time and time again.

Luckily, there are some great fixes available. You may have heard about "IC-rated" recessed fixtures. This means that they are rated for "Insulation Contact". While these are better than non-IC rated fixtures because your insulation can be continuous over the top of them, they are not necessarily air tight. And air tightness is the goal - to have a nice seal at the fixture that minimizes the amount of air that can leak through and around the fixture. For new construction, you should look for an "ICAT-rated" fixture. ICAT stands for "Insulation Contact Air Tight".

For retrofitting existing non-IC-rated or IC (not air-tight) recessed lighting, my favorite option is an LED light insert, which is made specifically for this purpose. The color rendering is beautiful, they are dim-able down to 25% of full power, and they are quick to install. These LED light inserts have a sealed housing, and with a couple of quick tweaks on your existing fixture they fit right in. Add a bead of caulk and you have a great seal. In addition, they use one-fifth the energy of a comparable lumen incandescent.

A mid-range solution is to use a florescent can light insert. These products adapt your existing can light to a pin style CFL (compact florescent) and contain the ballast in a thick trim housing that sets beneath the ceiling surface. Because the ballast is placed in a location that is cooler, the light can operate at optimal efficiency and the ballast enjoys extended life.

A less expensive option is to either build a drywall box or install preformed, fire rated "pots" that go over your existing lighting up in the attic. You seal them to the ceiling with foam. With this fix, it is important to use CFL since they produce less heat and use about quarter of the energy used by a comparable lumen incandescent.

Regardless of the solution you choose, it all goes back to limiting air infiltration in your home. A Home Performance Assessment will measure this level of leakiness (or tightness, depending on whether you are a glass half-full or half-empty kind of person) with a blower door test.

Limiting air infiltration in your building envelope is critically important. Why? Big energy savings and improved comfort in your house.

More information about Home Performance Assessments here.

About Hammer and Hand: This Portland builder and remodeling contractor has helped the people of Portland, Oregon live better in their homes and businesses since 1995. The firm's state-of-the-art remodels, historically accurate restorations, and environmentally responsible building practices maintain the aesthetic of eras past while creating the living spaces of the future.

Ballast $6.99 Ballast

Switchable Ballast Kit 400: J $127.46 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

Utility 277V 11-Inch White Ceiling Light $110 -Universal electronic ballast.

Utility 277V 14-Inch White Ceiling Light $121 -Universal electronic ballast.

MH Metal Halide Ballast Kit MH 175: J $49.26 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

MH Metal Halide Ballast Kit MH 250: J $59.46 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

MH Metal Halide Ballast Kit MH 400: J $73.91 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

HPS High Pressure Sodium Ballast Kit HPS 150: J $35.66 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

HPS High Pressure Sodium Ballast Kit HPS 250: J $74.76 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

MH Metal Halide Ballast Kit MH 1000: J $112.16 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

HPS High Pressure Sodium Ballast Kit HPS 400: J $88.36 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

HPS High Pressure Sodium Ballast Kit HPS 600: J $160.61 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

HPS High Pressure Sodium Ballast Kit HPS 1000: J $151.26 All H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) ballasts are quad-tap (120 volt, 208, 240 and 277) and include the necessary capacitor and ignitor (on sodium ballast). The brand will be either Advance or Universal.

Sun System Topless Ballast 1000W HPS: J $120.66 • Quality and economy in a simple, easy to use configuration. • Open core design for effective cooling. • Rugged black powder coated frame for mounting on a wall or ceiling. • Accepts 120/240 volt input power. • Heavy duty rubber feet to reduce vibration and noise. • High temperature capacitor and components. • Universal wiring block allows for easy adaptability. • Imported capacitor. • Ballast windings are completely wrapped with insulation material. • 1 year warranty.

Rail Ballast $24.99 Rail Ballast - Photographic Print

HYDROFARM Phantom 600W HPS/MH Dim E-Ballast 120/240v $172.66 The Hydrofarm PHE600D Phantom Digital Ballast arrives on the market as the most rigorously tested ballast in the industry. The Phantom features silent operation, lightweight design, multiple placement options and the maximum lumen output around. Now you can reap the benefit with this durable, premium Hydrofarm PHE600D digital ballast. We listened to your needs and learned! Tri-mode, push-button dimmable feature gives you the light you need in your specific growing situation. Hot re-strike programming protects the lamp in the event of a power outage Tested for compatibility with most brands of high intensity grow lamps Dual resettable breakers - protects lamp and household circuits Only ballast on the market designed for vertical operation for coolest running and optimum grow space Drives the highest light output for maximum plant growth Universal reflector adaptor and 8 ft heavy duty cord included Unlike magnetic ballast, Phantom runs completely silent Patented lock & seal Type: Indoor Garden Parts: 1 Year VM Innovations Warranty

Universal $15.49 Universal

Efficient Lighting HB200T84LGNW High Bay Ceiling Light Fixtureamp;#44; Energy Star Qualified with 320G Reflectoramp;#44; GE ballast included $166.46 WeatherProof PostPainted Polyester with powder white finish. Remarkable 320G Reflector. Conveniently has a universal input. Compatible with 4x32W T8 Lamps. Comes with a 2 Year Warranty on Fixture and a 5 Year Warranty on Ballast. Includes an Espen or GE Ballast

HP Rack Ballast 120672B21 $546.39 HP Rack Ballast 120672B21

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Utility 277V 17-Inch White Ceiling Light $157 -White acrylic diffuser. -Universal electronic ballast.

Utility 277V 21-Inch White Ceiling Light $193 -White acrylic diffuser. -Universal electronic ballast.

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Rack ballast $464.99 HP - Rack ballast - for Rack 91XX StorageWorks Rack ProLiant BL10 BL10e G2 BL20 BL40 DL585 ML330 G3 Rack