Florescent Tube Light Buzzing

[FACTOR]

Hi. Excuse what might be a really obvious question; electrickery is not my field:

 

One of my florescent lights (tube) is buzzing. What does that mean? Just need to replace the tube? The brightness of the light is the same as always. I know that when the light flickers it is time for a new tube, but buzzing....? 

 

Thanks.

[Lamkyong]

the buzzing is coming from the ballast    i suggest if the tube and starter are good keep them and bin the rest  new units are quite cheap   having said that its the cheaper units are more likely to buzz than a decent brand name

[Jdietz]

Might as well replace it with a LED tube kit and be rid of buzzing, flickering, starting issues for the rest of your life. Also saves about half the power. No need to replace the ballast, just the tube and starter.

 

Plenty of types for sale at homepro and similar.

 

[Lamkyong]

3 minutes ago, Jdietz said:

Might as well replace it with a LED tube kit and be rid of buzzing, flickering, starting issues for the rest of your life. Also saves about half the power. No need to replace the ballast, just the tube and starter.

 

Plenty of types for sale at homepro and similar.

 

good post but   but savings of half power  not correct

[Jdietz]

55 minutes ago, Lamkyong said:

good post but   but savings of half power  not correct

 

Needs citation.

 

Actually it's a bit more...

http://blog.metrospherelight.com/2014/09/led-vs-fluorescent-tubes-comparison-in.html

 

34 Watt T12 Fluorescent Tubes

0.88

43 Watts

376.68 kWh

16 Watt T8 Equivalent LED Tube

1

16 Watts

140.16 kWh

 

[FACTOR]

Sorry -- what's the "ballast", the whole contraption minus the tube and starter? 

 

For what it's worth, the brand name is Delight; I bought them at Global Home in Nong Khai.

[Jdietz]

4 minutes ago, FACTOR said:

Sorry -- what's the "ballast", the whole contraption minus the tube and starter? 

 

For what it's worth, the brand name is Delight; I bought them at Global Home in Nong Khai.

 

The ballast is the heavy block of iron sitting inside the fixture. It's basically a copper coil and in a standard tube, together with the starter (the little blinky thingy) provides the voltage spike needed to ignite it. It also limits the current through the tube once it's lit, as a standard tube when lit is almost a short. If it's a little loose it's where most of the buzzing / humming comes from.

 

LED tubes don't need any of that nonsense :) but with the direct replacement kits you leave it in place. Buzzing will not happen anymore as there are no heavy currents involved.

[Banana7]

One major drawback on the LED replacements is the low amount of emitted lumens, the total quantity of visible light emitted from the bulb.

[lopburi3]

18 hours ago, Banana7 said:

One major drawback on the LED replacements is the low amount of emitted lumens, the total quantity of visible light emitted from the bulb.

I don't have any LED lamps like that but other LED replacements seem to provide more usable light as it is directed down rather than in all directions.  

[wayned]

I replaced two 500W  quartz halogen outdoor floodlights with three 50W LED lights.  I also was worried about the light output but the three LEDs seem to give almost the same effect as the two halogens.  If they were left on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a 30 day month, which they aren't, I would save 2376 baht on the monthly electric bill!