Is there any way to test a ballast?

[Mr_Cool]

I think one of my ballast may have gone out on me. I've switched the bulbs to see if that was it, but they fire when I put them in the endcaps wired to a different ballast. I guess I'm just trying to avoid disconnecting the wires from one ballast and hooking these endcaps to it to see if it's the ballast or the wires or the endcaps.

Anyone have any ideas? I've checked the endcaps, and they look good. There's no corrosion or anything and it seems like the wires are connected pretty tightly. The lights worked a week ago, but now they just won't fire.

[cpreefguy]

can you get a voltmeter and see if it is putting any current out at the end opposite of the plug side of the ballast?

[Mr_Cool]

I'm guessing I should keep the power cord wired to the ballast, and just have some loose wires coming out from the other side. Plug it in, put the voltmeter on the wires, and see if it puts out any current?

My buddy has a voltmeter. I'll try that later today.

[caferacermike]

Do some online research first. I'm not familiar with what type of voltage you'd be looking for. Not having the meter set correctly, or underrated, could easily short the meter. Ballasts change the voltage all around. It's not a transformer just upping the voltage or stepping it down.