Electrical ballast replacements are a common project in both residential homes and commercial buildings. An electrical ballast is a device used to regulate electrical currents so that they do not reach uncontrollable levels. A common application of electrical ballasts is those found in any type of light structure such as fluorescent or neon lighting systems. Depending on the size of the replacement project, a licensed electrician isn’t always necessary; however, if you don’t have the proper tools or experience, it is a good idea to consult with a licensed electrician before attempting the replacement. To simplify the procedure, here are the answers to three common questions about electrical ballast replacement.

Similar to replacing a light bulb, if you have any type of neon or fluorescent light, you will eventually need to replace the electrical ballast in the lighting structure. Replacing the electrical ballast is a more reasonable solution than replacing the entire neon or fluorescent light structure. You will know when it’s time to replace the electrical ballast because the light will begin flickering or will stop working entirely.

Yes, you can perform a ballast replacement yourself. While ballast replacement can be a simple procedure, if not done properly you can cause damage to your replacement bulb but also the fixture. Before performing the replacement yourself, make sure you are confident and understand all the steps involved or you could end up with expensive bills you were trying to avoid. If you require assistance or have any questions about electrical ballast replacement, contact our team of licensed electricians at Expert Electric. We would be happy to help.

Thankfully, an electrical ballast replacement does not require a fully stocked tool shed in order to be completed. For most electrical ballast replacements, a few simple tools will do the trick. Depending on the type and size of your replacement, your replacement may require a simple screwdriver, nut driver, drill, pliers and wire stripper. This is in addition to the new electrical ballast which you will be replacing.

For more information on electrical ballast replacement, please contact the licensed electricians at Expert Electric. You can reach us at 604-681-8338 or you can book an appointment online through our website. For 24/7 immediate response emergency service, please fill out a form on our website so that we can get in touch with you as soon as possible. We offer various types of electrician services including electric water heaters, surge protectors, ceiling fan installation and we service all throughout the Greater Vancouver area and Lower Mainland.

I have a great deal of interest in digital photography, but my life is as crazy as anyone else’s. My son, family, and work keep me busy from dawn to midnight every day. I’ve never had time to cultivate any photography skills, even though I’ve always been very interested, sitting on the edge of my seat, if you will, for a chance to take some digital photos in order to learn a little about how capturing light can create astonishing works of art.

My interview with Matthew Danser had given me my long sought “excuse” to try out some photography techniques. But it also required that I put in an honest effort. The thought in the back of my head: These photos are going to suck. Probably a lot. And they will most likely be seen by the thousands of people who visit this blog monthly. Second gulp.

But I’m the kind of person so riddled with ADHD that even my paranoia about being judged on a mass scale can only last about three minutes before the audacity to try anything resurfaces and action is taken. So here’s what happens when a total amateur who has no idea what he is doing tries to “Paint with Light.”

A one-dollar flashlight from – you guessed it – the Dollar General. One dollar. Even. Gotta love it. Especially since it’s all I could afford, seeing as how I’m still paying off the aforementioned Nikon that I bought to take photos of our baby son. (True, a million pictures have been taken of him during his first year-and-a-half on Earth. However, 999,999 of those photos were taken with an iPhone. Go figya.)

THE PLAN, STAN:

The plan was to wait until it was dark in the apartment and do some light painting. I knew that I could use the Shutter mode on my camera to set it to take exposures of up to thirty seconds. I saw that my camera also had an option for bulb release, so, invoking Danser, who recalls how his girlfriend had to hold down the button on his camera for a full thirteen minutes, I determined that if I asked really nicely, I might be able to persuade my wife to hold down the trigger to get exposures longer than thirty seconds. Otherwise, thirty seconds was my window of time to do all the light painting I could.

I started off pretty timidly. I had seen photos online in which people used long exposures to create squiggly lines. The most popular examples are pictures of traffic at night, headlights and tail lights streaming, giving you a sense of the fluid motion of busy intersections. You’ve also seen those nature pics in which streams and rivers and clouds and stars become gauzy with movement because of long exposures.

But what I really like about Danser’s work is the use of color. The effect of running inside the hut and popping off red-gelled flashes shown at the beginning of this blog post (Matthew Danser! And happy lightpainting, everyone!

Bryant Electric Service was recently inundated with calls the morning after a strong wind/thunderstorm blew through Austin.  This happens every time.  Although many calls were customers needing their power restored after tree limbs took down their overhead power line, there were also many calls wanting our service techs to come out to check their whole electrical system because of nearby lightning strikes damaging many of their home appliances and electronic devices.

With the enormous amount of electronics that are now being installed in almost every device that can be plugged into any power or phone/data outlet, it has become evident that having whole house power/data surge protection installed is imperative.

When lightning strikes it creates a huge static electrical field that, like the bolt itself, seeks the easiest path of least resistance to the ground.  The easiest path for this static current is your overhead electrical and phone/cable lines that run up and down your street and all of which connect directly to your house.  When this happens, it destroys the very delicate, low voltage instruments that are now installed in most appliances:  refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, oven, coffee makers, washer/dryer, A/C and furnace, thermostat, garage door opener, sprinkler system control, etc.  These are all affected by power surges going throughout your electrical wiring system.  Then there are your TVs, computers, modem, hand-held charging devices, VCR, TV signal box, Bluetooth and your telephone, if you still have one, and these are all affected by the power surge through your phone/data cables.

If you are interested in receiving a cost estimate to have this protection installed in your house, please contact us at Bryant Electric Service and one of our dispatchers will be happy to help you.