bad ballast

[akimbo]

is my only option to buy a replacement ballast? if so can someone give me a website that has them pretty cheap my light strips are both 36 inches long 120v, 30 or 40 w

 

[ar0wan]

I have always purchased mine at Home Depot or Lowes
Have you done the wiring before? If not you may want to consider a new fixture.

 

[akimbo]

wats the best way to determin if its actually a bad ballest or just a blown bulb...

 

[akimbo]

anytips?

 

[PostalPenguin]

Easiest way is to buy a new bulb and see if it works.

 

[ar0wan]

ah, yeah put a known good bulb in it
a lot of my LFS have bulb test fixtures
sitting by where they sell bulbs also
I can take a bulb in and test it for free

 

[bbortko]

wats the best way to determin if its actually a bad ballest or just a blown bulb...

Buy the cheapest lamp with the correct wattage that you can find and install it. If it doesn't work its the ballast, if it works wait a day or two then look at the lamp. If there is a dark band near one of the ends then your ballast is bad.