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The obligatory wise guy answer is always "Because it doesn't know the words." If we get by that there are two basic types of ballasts. The traditional electromagnetic ballast hums more than the newer electronic ballast. Fluorescent fixtures have a sound rating that ranges from "A" to "D" with "A" being the quietest. In electromagnetic ballasts the alternating current causes a magnetic field to basically compress the central iron core in a phenomenon called Magnetostriction. What you are hearing is a 60 Hz vibration that can get louder with age. In an electronic ballast the hum is usually much less noticeable and can again come from vibrations induced by the switching happening in the electronic components.
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The core of an electrical ballast, like the core of a transformer is made of laminated layers of iron material. This type of construction makes it work more efficiently. The Alternating Current (AC) repeatedly magnetizes and demagnetizes the layers in the core causing them to vibrate. The layers are bound together with some sort of glue limiting the actual vibrations and if properly done there is no humming sound.
As the ballast gets older, the glue material weakens allowing the layers to separate and allowing the vibrating layers to hit each other resulting in the humming sound. An old ballast can get pretty loud.
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Why can't you hum with your nose plugged?
When you hum you blow out air to make the noise, but if you plug your nose, no air comes out and you cannot hum. It is possible to hum for a short time with your nose plugged, but you will be unable to do so for very long or at any volume.
What the difference between ballast and transformer?
A transformer changes the amperage and / or voltage. It literally "Transforms" electrical energy. A ballast is like a capacitor. Think of a ballast as a short-term battery. It stores power then releases it as needed. A common example of a ballast is on fluorescent lights. Initially, a fluorescent light needs a big blast of energy to excite the gas molecules into emitting photons (light). Then it only needs a small amount of energy to keep the gas molecules in an excited state. However, that power has to be of consistent amperage and voltage. The ballast is designed to do that. The electrical ballast stores energy in the same way that a water ballast stores water for stability. Because the electrical ballast stores far more power than the device it regulates requires, it too provides a kind of electrical stability. That's why you often see a fluorescent light flicker or "lose stability" when the ballast starts to go bad. A transformer transforms voltage and amperage up or down. A ballast provides a stabile power supply.
Why does a hot air balloon need ballast?
Hot air balloons DON'T need any ballast. However gas balloons which get their lift from lighter-than-air gases, typically helium or hydrogen, do need ballast. The ballast allows the pilot to control the altitude at which the balloon flies. To gain altitude the pilot releases some ballast or vents out some gas to descend. During flight some gas will be lost through natural losses through the material of the gas envelope and the pilot counters the loss of lift by releasing ballast to maintain the altitude he wants. On long distance flights the variation between night and day time temperatures affects the amount of lift the gas exerts of the balloon. This requires further adjustment of gas venting or release of ballast to maintain the desired altitude.
What is an example of bouyancy?
The bouyancy of of a floating object is affected by ballast.
What is the difference between a ballast and anchor?
A ballast is heavy weights or sand bags to stabilize a ship or air balloon while an anchor is weight that holds the ship or air balloon to float away
Why does your electronic ballast hum?
Electronic ballast does not hum as much as a choke. Minute hum of electronic ballast is the small inductor and capacitor producing an oscillation for high voltage generation,
Why do light buzz?
most likely from all of the electricity flowing through them. Incandescent lights do not buzz. Fluorescent fixtures with a non electronic ballast can develop a buzzing or humming noise. The ballast has a wire coiled around an iron laminated core. As the ballast ages the laminations start to separate and the alternating current going through the ballast makes the iron layers vibrate (hitting each other) causing the hum or buzz sound.
What makes a fluorescent light hum loudly?
The sound to which you refer is typically produced in the ballast. A noisy ballast is often an indicator that ballast is not doing well. The ballast is a special purpose transformer, and inside the transformer are coils of wire that are around an iron core. The core is typically a stack of stamped plates made of mild steel that have been riveted or otherwise connected together to provide the necessary mass. When the plates are not tightly bound together, they can move slightly under the changing magnetic field and produce a humming sound that can be quite loud. When that happens, the ballast is about to fail.
Where is the ballast resistor on a 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible?
It does not have a ballast resistor.It does not have a ballast resistor.
How do you stop a floresent light ballast from humming?
ballasts can hum for several reasons, too low input voltage, too large of a load (wrong bulbs), or just cause they are dying. usually they need to be replaced.
How to connect ballast?
Ballast connection diagrams are on the identification label that is on the ballast.
Where is the ballast resistor for a 1994 Jeep Cherokee?
It does not have an ignition ballast resistor.It does not have an ignition ballast resistor.
Ballast smells burnt what to do?
A ballast that smells burnt is going bad. The ballast will have to be replaced to fix the problem.
What is a good sentence for the word ballast?
A good sentence for the word ballast is.......The ballast is not heavy enough and the boat is about to sink.
What is the music name that is kind of a good music to make a streap tease and sounds something like tease me on hum hum hum turn me on hum hum hum and is a female singer?
Goldfrapp - Ooh La La
Do hot dog have hum?
Hum?
What does hum mean in texting?
HUM
