On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 10:09:22 -0500, "Peter Reilley"
wrote:
"Wayne" makowicki wrote in message
...
Are you using 40 watt bulbs in the 34 watt light?

I had a better look at the light fixture. There is no ballast transformer,
only two plastic boxes that have two wires attached. There is no
label giving wattage rating. The original bulbs say F40CW and
"made in USA", no brand name.

The new (bad) bulbs say Philips Econ-O-Watt F40CW/RS/EW 34
watt USA.
If I swap the remaining old but good bulbs around, the fixtures work OK.

Pete.

If those are the cheapie Lights Of America fixtures, they have
either simple reactance ballasts and some sort of a starter -
old-style preheat system. Or a homebrew electronic ballast that isn't
worth the powder it'd take to blow it to...

If you paid under $10 for the fixtures, they're junk. The cheapest
half-decent Lithonia (or other real name brand) shop lights are about
$15 each, and have a real rapid start ballast inside that can handle
the ES/EW lamps.

I toss the LOA or other ultra-cheap imported fixtures at the first
sign of trouble, they aren't even worth messing with.

Preheat ballasts and newer Rapid Start lamps do not get along,
especially Energy Saver 34W lamps and double especially the
low-mercury Alto lamps with the green end-shells.

And consider that the lower mercury bulbs may need to be warm to
start - the old rule was 50F to 60F range to start a regular 40W
fluorescent, and the Alto is probably more sensitive. Cold
temperatures require High Output lamps, special ballasts, or both.

-- Bruce --
--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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