I tried looking this up on line but not much joy.
I thought that once the tube had "struck" and was fully lit then there was no further need for a starter - and if the ballast was faulty then the starter wouldn't work.
Does a faulty ballast seem a reasonable diagnosis?
Cheers
Dave R
Once lit, remove the starter and see if the flickering stops.
Otherwise I would expect the tube itself. If the cathode emission is low, the starter might heat the cathode for it to slowly cool and go out.
Personally, I think it's a no-brainer to replace with an LED tube rather than fault find.
Thanks. I have two spare tubes in stock (I just discovered) so I will try those out as a first solution.
Didn't fancy changing the ballast as lots of wires! All of them black. [I know, all clearly marked up, but lots of thinking to get it right.]
Cheers
Dave R
Unless it's a fancy ballast, or an electronic ballast, there should just
2 wires to it?
Next puzzle - I can't find a starter!
Does the ballast also act as a starter?
It is a 2 * 15W T8 behind a bathroom mirror.
Cheers
Dave R
Similar to this (but not the same).
As you can see there are a number of wires which go to and from the twin tubes.
My current version has 8 wires to go to/from the tubes, plus mains in (2 wires).
Cheers
Dave R
Does seem to be the ballast. Roughly 20 minutes after turn on from cold it fails. Flickering and dim. I should have a spare in the loft, with luck, from when the shaver socket failed on the previous one.
However now I have replaced the (just failed) halogen bulb in the main light this is more efficient than the fluorescent in she mirror light so the urgency has gone away.
Cheers
Dave R
Can't see any wires. I presume you're investigating a holiday in Norfolk?
You mention 'tubes'. How old is this? Some early starter-less ballasts were certainly 4 wires to each tube and 2 for mains. I guess a dual starter-less ballast with 10 wires sounds right.
Later ones are electronic.
Best replace the lot! Remove gubbins and wire according to instructions that come with the LED tube.
Yep, likely a poor joint that opens up when it warms up.
You'll be better off financially if you bin the fluoros & fit new LED. And the light's better. And they're safer.
I would be interested in how this is done for a system where the starter and ballast is integrated with the circuit to the fluorescent tubes.
Do LED tubes not need any of this?
I was assuming they would be a direct replacement for fluorescent tubes without changing any of the other components.
Cheers
Dave R
no the tube is completely knackered. Brian
So, does one still have to rewire fittings to take the LED ones? Brian
You will need to remove the knackered electronic ballast (or just bypass it) and wire the mains directly into the LED tubes.
There are several ways to wire the new LEDs up.
Although saying that - it's quite easy once you get your head around how it works.
You have to know that LED tubes are forward facing tubes with 180 to 240 deg lighting and are not the same as florescent tubes with all round 360 deg lighting.
If these LEDs will work with your mirror the I suggest going for LED.
And they're safer.
Changing to LED tubes is simple. Simply remove the internal gubbins and wire according to the LED tube's instructions.
Most tubes expect power at one end, and at the other the two pins will either be a direct short or open circuit. Most will have a short as they're designed for retrofitting into a standard fitting with a standard ballast and starter as per A in the below link.
That's not the best way to do it.
It's better to take L to a pin at one end of the tube and N to a pin at the other end of the tube and the short the other two pins together.
That way you do not have to worry about inserting the tube the wrong way around.
Adam
I can see your point and generally agree with you. I have experienced the exception of some 8ft fittings where one end accepts 240VAC and the other end is O/C.
Faulty tube. Dump it and buy LED...
Sorry about that I'll close my fly
and generally agree with you. I have experienced
Show off - by having a bigger point than mine:)
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