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Electrical question.....

wartigerwartiger Member Posts: 3,861
edited March 2013 in General Discussion
The flourescent lights in my kitchen began not wanting to come on with the switch, almost as if they had to "warm up" for about 5 minutes. They then began flickering and now, they won't come on at all. It seems odd that all four bulbs would go out at the same exact time, so I changed out one bulb with no success and then two, again no success. I am thinking a bad ballast....any other suggestions?
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Comments

  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 32,031 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by wartiger
    any other suggestions?


    A conspiracy? Don
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  • booter_onebooter_one Member Posts: 2,345 ✭
    edited November -1
    Did you check for power at the feed for the ballast? Over time the switch may have failed also. May be a loose neutral as well, may be in the switch box or in the light fixture. When you are sure you have good power to the light itself, and the lamps are good, it would be time to suspect the ballast. If it is a newer electronic ballast it could have been damaged by the simplest thing, starting with an open neutral. In electrical, it is usually process of elimination. More info from you helps an online as this to help diagnose the problem. Hope this helps.
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  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,404 ******
    edited November -1
    could be aliens.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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  • jltrentjltrent Member Posts: 9,337 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Have you had your home checked for ghosts yet?
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  • chiefrchiefr Member Posts: 14,108 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As long as you did no maintenance to the main light switch, before the problem, you guessed right; bad ballast.
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  • wartigerwartiger Member Posts: 3,861
    edited November -1
    No, pretty sure it's not ghosts, aliens, bigfoot, A chupacabra or the Jersey Devil.......but thank you all for your suggestions, that yes, I did ask for.

    Now, I will go back and check the switch and then go from there.....my money is still the ballast!
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  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,530 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bad Ballast. Change lights to high hats.[;)]
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  • Marc1301Marc1301 Member Posts: 31,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Me thinks you have it under control.[:)]
    "Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here." - William Shatner
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  • COBmmcmssCOBmmcmss Member Posts: 1,174 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't forget to spend a few more cents and replace the starter.

    COB
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  • SpartacusSpartacus Member Posts: 14,415
    edited November -1
    ballast, easy fix.
    sometimes just cheaper to replace the whole fixture.


    tom
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  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by COBmmcmss
    Don't forget to spend a few more cents and replace the starter.

    COB




    New ballasts dont have starters....havent for about 20 years.......
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  • bambambambambambam Member Posts: 4,818 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ballast or the starter(if it has one)

    Starter looks like a mini grey soup can, 2 prongs. Some time you need to twist it back & forth to get a good contact. After years of on/off the studs on the starter get arc build up/corrosion.

    If it doesn't have a starter, check/clean the ends for good contact where the bulb snaps in. If that doesn't fix it I'd go for the new ballast.

    Most are around $10-20 for the 4ft & under.

    Most of the older 30" and smaller are old starters.

    Honestly, you may find a whole new light for the same price as a ballast if it's 4ft+.
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  • MMOMEQ-55MMOMEQ-55 Member Posts: 13,134
    edited November -1
    Ballast I would say from past experience.
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  • woodshed87woodshed87 Member Posts: 23,478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    SURVEY SAYS
    BALLAST
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  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998 ✭
    edited November -1
    ...it is the Cosmic Rays from the Sun, piercing the Capacitors' insulation....
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  • A J ChristA J Christ Member Posts: 7,534 ✭
    edited November -1
    Change the ballast.

    That's all that's left that could cause that sort of behavior.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    your ballast is bad. Buy the newer type that burns a fraction of what the old type do.
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  • pietro75pietro75 Member Posts: 7,048 ✭
    edited November -1
    Whatever you do, do not lay a block on it's side to stand on while changing the ballast. I don't care what SF says, it is too risky!
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  • wartigerwartiger Member Posts: 3,861
    edited November -1
    Well, I tested all the switches and was getting power to them. Tested the wires at the fixtures, got power, but no light. Double checked the connection on one fixture and BINGO, the hot wire had apparently burnt out at the wire nut. Cut, re-spliced and whaddya know......light! Checked the flourescent light, same thing, only good connection. Tested the output from the ballast....dead. So, now I gotta get a new ballast. Just what I figured!
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