BALLASTS

When it comes to lights, maintenance doesn’t usually go beyond replacing bulbs, lenses and the occasional wire harness or housing. But sometimes it does. The HID lights on your vehicles rely on ballasts — parts that are easy to overlook when your lights malfunction. Find replacement ballasts here at CNH Industrial.

What They Do

All gas-discharge lights require a ballast. Lights of this type include fluorescent lights and High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights. HID lights are used in many municipal applications for lighting streets, parking lots, athletic fields and other open spaces and in many automotive, farm and construction applications for headlights and worklights.

Simply put, ballasts regulate the flow of power to gas-discharge lights in order to start them up and keep them on. Some ballasts include components to control the light output, allowing for dimmers.

Signs You Need a New Ballast

Many problems with HID lights are due to faulty wiring and burned out bulbs. But ballasts can also fail. You may have a faulty ballast if you notice any of the following:

● Inconsistent Output: Lights attached to a bad ballast may receive fluctuations in voltage that cause periodic dimming, flickering and color changes.

● Intermittent Failure: An overheating ballast may be on its way out. When a ballast overheats, it shuts off power to the lights until it cools down. If the lights go out during operation but work again after a rest, the ballast is a likely culprit.

● Buzzing Sounds: Many ballasts emit noise when you first turn on the lights. But when a ballast emits a constant buzz, that’s bad news.

● Outer Damage: Some bad ballasts look the part. They swell and warp from excess heat, acquire stains from contact with water and show wear and tear from excess vibration.

Supporting Your Lights

There’s no point in replacing an entire assembly when all you need is a ballast. Avoid the hassle. Save time and money with ballasts from CNH Industrial.