Flourescent lighting

[sipi]

After 30 years of being told "flourescent lighting will save you money", I finally admit defeat.

I've pulled down my last flouro, and frankly I hope it burns in hell for eternity.

So what's the problem...

Flash, flash, flash, flash (fast forward 2 hours) flash, flash, flash...

I've changed the starters, I've changed the tubes...

Flash, flash, flash...

I'm going back to incandescent bulbs.

[Crossy]

When you say "flash, flash, flash" what do you actually mean?

 

Did you check that the switch isn't in the neutral??

 

Have you verified that your supply voltage isn't low?

 

Did you try an electronic ballast, that should actually save even more $$$ and mitigate a low supply voltage.

 

The rest of the universe is switching to LED lighting, which uses even less energy than fluorescent ???? 

 

 

[Photoguy21]

Use LED lighting

[sipi]

29 minutes ago, Crossy said:

When you say "flash, flash, flash" what do you actually mean?

 

Did you check that the switch isn't in the neutral??

 

Have you verified that your supply voltage isn't low?

 

Did you try an electronic ballast, that should actually save even more $$$ and mitigate a low supply voltage.

 

The rest of the universe is switching to LED lighting, which uses even less energy than fluorescent ???? 

 

 

The tube just keeps flashing, and flashing, and flashing....

[sipi]

26 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Use LED lighting

Yeah it's looking that way.

Fire hazard?

[Photoguy21]

1 minute ago, sipi said:

Yeah it's looking that way.

Fire hazard?

None that I have seen or read about

[Crossy]

4 minutes ago, sipi said:

The tube just keeps flashing, and flashing, and flashing....

 

Low supply voltage?

 

Do try an electronic ballast, they are dead cheap and extend the life of your tubes too ???? 

 

[sipi]

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

 

Low supply voltage?

 

Do try an electronic ballast, they are dead cheap and extend the life of your tubes too ???? 

 

Ok I'll give that a try, courtesy Google.

I think (guessing) the supply is ok. It's just that the tubes flash for an hour without actually igniting. The incandescent lights in the other rooms light up pronto. I'm a bit dubious about led because I've heard they can catch fire.

I'm thinking just go for normal incandescent bulbs?

[Crossy]

New tube, new ballast, new starter and it won't ignite = low supply voltage (actually measure it at the fitting, you can't guess here) or a wiring issue.

[worgeordie]

1 hour ago, sipi said:

I'm going back to incandescent bulbs.

Your taking two steps backwards ,,, go with LED , they are not expensive , save money,

and last a long time.  some nice designs , bought some to replace the 32 W round lamps

in one of our rental properties and the difference was spectacular. 

regards Worgeordie

[Jerno]

Go LED.  Best solution.

[sipi]

LED it is.

Thanks.

[tjo o tjim]

13 hours ago, sipi said:

LED it is.

Just make sure to check the wiring when you replace it!  For LEDs you can get flicker as well if you have some wiring problems or poor installation.  Don't just replace with an LED tube in the existing fixture.

[Regyai]

Honestly just have 3,5,7 or better still 9 monks around to bless it

 

 

simples

[sipi]

4 hours ago, Regyai said:

Honestly just have 3,5,7 or better still 9 monks around to bless it

 

 

simples

It was heading that way.

[bluejets]

On 7/23/2022 at 7:12 PM, sipi said:

The tube just keeps flashing, and flashing, and flashing....

In days gone by one could fit an electronic starter.

These days either fit an LED tube and supplied fuse to the starter socket and a label to identify "LED tube fitted" .....

or...as others have said.....buy an led fluro fitting.

 

FYI .....Flashing can be caused by many things, knackered tube, low voltage, poor connections, wrong starter type.

Most usual is people replace bits with elcheapo parts from unreliable suppliers.