On Apr 23, 5:50*pm, The Daring Dufas
wrote:
mm wrote:
A friend tells me that, The two fluorescent bulbs in the furnace room
were were doing what they do in old age. *After the electrician had
installed AC-connected smoke detectors, I saw that the light was
partially on even when switch off. *So I disconnected the fixture.

And he wants to either fix it by replacing parts or install a new one.

For once I know the project beforehand and can ask your advice
beforehand, since I certainly don't know what to do.

How can it be partially on when the switch is off? * How can
disconnecting the fixture be more effective in turning it off than
just flipping the switch?

It didn't used to be like this. * Certainly the new AC smoke detector
doesn't have a magnetic field strong enough to make this happen.

Advice?

Florescent fixtures will glow like that if the neutral is switched
instead of the hot wire. The electrician took a shortcut to keep
power on the smoke detectors and that is the result. Not very
professional, I wonder what other shortcuts he/she/it may have
taken?

TDD- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yup sounds like might be dicey wiring, possibly a wiring shortcut to
avoid another connection and/or create a situation where other work
will have to be done and paid for!
One does wonder what 'other' shortcut the electrician MAY have taken?
Possibly wiring the smoke detector between, say live and
ground????????????? To avoid running another wire?
Either get another electrician or get that one back at no extra
charge; then have the smoke detector disconnected and the light switch
operated in such a way that the 'live' lead (usually black or
occasionally red) to the fluorescent is clearly being switched off/on.
Have this fact proved using a light bulb.
Might be a remote chance something else is happening!
Smart to notice and ask the question; congratulations to the OP.