Fluorescent Lighting

[bbeaver1]

Help!! I thought that I could handle most simple things but I just purchased a fluorescent fixture for my living room and it is only a bare shell with lens. I went back to the store and they sold me a phillips bulb with ballast and starter but no wiring instructions. the bulb is of the ring design with 4 pins. The kit has a 4 pin pigtail and an electronic ballast and a 2 pin starter but no wiring diagrams and boy do I need help!! ANYONE?

[Rimmer]

You are talking about a circular fluorescent fitting right? How could you purchase half a fitting and not know it?

Regardless take all the bits back to the shop get them to fit it together and get it working for you.

[Crossy]

I'll watch out when I buy lights from HomePro, never seen bare fittings sold before. A good (but not so ethical) way of keeping the sticker price down. The tube kits are only about 70 Baht anyway so not even a big reduction.

Solution sent by PM, just to complete the job here:-

[fremmel]

I got hit by HomePro the same way when I tried to buy a cheap fixture for my carport. The salesman did tell me I needed a ballast and bulb but he sold me a quick start electronic ballast and a fitting that took a starter. Those aren't compatible. At least I couldn't make them work. I went back and got the four lead pigtail and and hooked it up by the diagram on the ballast. So, check to make sure you have the right ballast.

[Beardog]

When I have purchased lights from home pro I make them hookup the first light & copy the hookup.that way I get through the language barrier. & A picture is worth 1000 words.

[longball53098]

My first experience with the 32 watt lights was similar.

I picked out a light fixture I liked and place in my trolley. One of the sales people came running up with a "install kit" consisting of the lamp, ballast and starter. And be sure to get the small starter holder also as its not in the kit. Can't recall if there were wiring diagrams in the box but I got it working.

This seems to be common practice to sell a empty fixture.

So watch what you buy.

[tjo o tjim]

You need a starter with a Thai electronic ballast?! Normally that is incorporated into the ballast itself with an electronic unit, and is only required for a magnetic ballast. Not to try to one-up Crossy's sketch, but google gives me this one for an electronic, single lamp ballast:

All the starter does is short the lamp for a second or so.