Fluorescent lighting

[Anthony R. Gold]

Apology if this is a dumb question but is there any easy way to tell whether a reluctant-to-strike light needs the tube or starter changed?

Tony

[Sponix]

Try twisting the starter with the fitting powered up, so as to break-and-make the connection to the starter.

If the tube fires up then the starter is duff.

sponix

[Mike Harrison]

If it flashes on & off it's probably not the starter If the ends glow but nothing else happens, it's the starter. If nothing at all happens it's probably the starter but could be a tube with an open filament

[Rumble]

Anthony R. Gold said the following on 07/02/2006 15:23:

If (as the OP says) you take the starter out then put it back in and the tube fires, the starter's dead.

If the tube starts and the starter/tube keeps flashing after the tube starts, the starter's dead.

If the tube glows at the ends and takes ages to start (or doesn't start at all) and the starter seems to be working, the tube's dead.

The ends of a flu tube go black (and the light output drops off to about

50%) as it gets older so you may want to consider replacing both the tube and the starter.

If the fitting has more than one tube, (i.e. 2 or 4 tubes) then the tubes might be wired in series pairs. If so, make sure you get the correct starter which is a 120V series starter.

Finally, generally the tube will be slower to start in the cold weather.

HTH

[Mark Spice]

It's easy.

If you have a spare starter then it's the tube that is knackered

or

If you have a spare tube then the starter is knackered.

If you have both spare tube and starter then it's almost certain to be due to something else completely.

Hope this helps

Mark

[Rob Morley]

How about if you have a spare ballast too?

[Mark Spice]

In that case it's probably due to sunspot activity.

Cheers

Mark

[Anthony R. Gold]

Thanks to all for the great advice and the light is now fine.

Tony

[Frank Erskine]

Was it the starter? The tube?

I often find it's easiest to change both when you have troublesome lights.

[Anthony R. Gold]

I confess that I did what you find easiest but I have kept the originals so maybe when I drum up enough interest I'll find whether either is still serviceable.

Tony

[meow2222]

the usual recommendation is change the starter, test, then if necesary change tube as well

NT

[Anthony R. Gold]

Thanks, I'd better get a couple more so that I have some new spares with which to try that the next time around.

Tony