Lifespan of a ballast

[Sugar Magnolia]

About how long does a ballast last? Do they slowly stop driving the bulb over time? I've got an Icecap ballast that is a replacement for the one I initially purchased about 6 1/2 years ago. When that one died 3 years ago, Icecap sent me a replacement with a reconditioned ballast. It is now 3 1/2 years old. To me, it seems like the light is not as bright as it was years ago. (bulb is only about 4-5 months old)

 

Am I just imagning this? Do I need to look into buying a new ballast? BTW, it's driving a PFO mini pendant 250W MH.

[Coral Hind]

There are a lot of variables that go into the life span of the ballast; operating temp, voltage supplied, bulbs used, salt spray, grounding issues, run time. Usually, manufacturers provide 2-5 year guarantees for electronic ballasts so I assume they expect them to last at least that long before failing. You could contact IceCap and see what they say about the situation. They might allow a trade in.

[basser9]

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