A double circular fixture in the kitchen started to flicker, so I
replaced the tubes.
Still flickers.
I then replaced the starter.
Still flickers.

Hmm.

Where to go from here?

Your on-topic answers will be appreciated.

Thank you.

K7AAY wrote:
A double circular fixture in the kitchen started to flicker, so I
replaced the tubes.
Still flickers.
I then replaced the starter.
Still flickers.

Hmm.

Where to go from here?

Your on-topic answers will be appreciated.

Thank you.

How bout the ballast? And it's fluorescent. :')

Next would be a more current fixture.

J

How bout the ballast? And it's fluorescent. :')

Integrated into the starter.

Next would be a more current fixture.

Would leave ugly hole if not plastered/painted. Not good at either.

In article .com, K7AAY
wrote:

How bout the ballast? And it's fluorescent. :')

Integrated into the starter.

Ballasts and starters are different, separate items. If you have only
one of these, then you have a ballast - some do not require starters.

I would say get a replacement ballast.

I would also favor getting a more modern fixture and put up with the
painting and plastering. A modern fixture with F17T8 or F32T8 bulbs will
be brighter, more energy efficient, have better color rendering, and have
better future availability of replacement bulbs and ballasts.

Meanwhile, did you replace both bulbs at the same time?

- Don Klipstein )

In article , (Don Klipstein) wrote:
In article .com, K7AAY
wrote:

How bout the ballast? And it's fluorescent. :')

Integrated into the starter.

Ballasts and starters are different, separate items. If you have only
one of these, then you have a ballast - some do not require starters.

I would say get a replacement ballast.

It seems that a broken tube can sometimes destroy a good
ballast and vice verse.

I've learned to replace everything, at the same time (ballast
and both tubes). Then things usually work first time, and
continue working for quite a few years.

It also cuts back on:

* Cracked/broken diffusers (from repeated removals
and attachements).
* Cuts and scratches from the sheet metal housing
* Multiple trips to the store.

All of which I hate, with a passion.

I would also favor getting a more modern fixture and put up with the
painting and plastering. A modern fixture with F17T8 or F32T8 bulbs will
be brighter, more energy efficient, have better color rendering, and have
better future availability of replacement bulbs and ballasts.

That too. You might even be able to find a decorative unit
that will cover all traces of the original unit.

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K7AAY wrote:
A double circular fixture in the kitchen started to flicker, so I
replaced the tubes.
Still flickers.
I then replaced the starter.
Still flickers.

Hmm.

Where to go from here?

Your on-topic answers will be appreciated.

Thank you.
..
If it's got a starter is sounds like s pretty old fixture?
Long time since dealing with (if in North America?) anything with a
starter; except perhaps on a cooking stove etc.
If not desiring to change the fixture it might be best to rebuild it
using a modern ballast that does not use a starter? The 'mechanicals'
of the fixtures are usually no problem and rebuilding it provides a
chance to repair, rewire and even to respray the fixture if necessary.
f that's too costly just replace.
Also done this with electric baseboard heaters, respraying them to an
appropriate tone. Good as new then.

"K7AAY" wrote in message
ups.com...
A double circular fixture in the kitchen started to flicker, so I
replaced the tubes.
Still flickers.
I then replaced the starter.
Still flickers.

Hmm.


Get a new ballast. Get the electronic kind if possible; they look similar to
the "magnetic" type but run a little cooler, they don't hum and they produce
flicker-free light because their operating frequency is in the thousands of
Hz.

Go to the local electrical supply place (not Home Cheapo or Lowes) and get a
name-brand unit. Since you're into ham radio, cheap units may put out all
kinds of RFI, which would be a concern on some ham frequencies.

I don't know if the electronic ballasts are better than the magnetic ones
when it comes to RFI; my guess would be that the electronic ballast would
have less RFI.

Hire a professional

On 11 Dec 2006 07:16:11 -0800, "K7AAY" wrote:

A double circular fixture in the kitchen started to flicker, so I
replaced the tubes.
Still flickers.
I then replaced the starter.
Still flickers.

Hmm.

Where to go from here?

Your on-topic answers will be appreciated.

Thank you.

I've learned to replace everything, at the same time (ballast
and both tubes). Then things usually work first time, and
continue working for quite a few years.

Replaced both the tubes and the ballast. No joy. Took one set of tubes
back, got another set. Still no joy.

I've learned to replace everything, at the same time (ballast
and both tubes). Then things usually work first time, and
continue working for quite a few years.

Replaced both the tubes and the ballast. No joy. Took one set of tubes
back, got another set. Still no joy.

In article . com, K7AAY wrote:

I've learned to replace everything, at the same time (ballast
and both tubes). Then things usually work first time, and
continue working for quite a few years.

Replaced both the tubes and the ballast. No joy. Took one set of tubes
back, got another set. Still no joy.

This makes me suspect:

1. The "platform" is one that I would consider "cranky", such as dual
F20T12 on a "trigger start" ballast.
The main solution to that if total changeout has failed, maybe even
otherwise, is to get a ballast rated to drive two F17T8 "lamps" and a pair
of such "lamps" ("bulbs"/"tubes"). (Assuming your problem is with
2-footers)

2. You have improper grounding (the fixture is supposed to be grounded
and the ballast case if metallic is supposed to be grounded, usually by
mechanical connection to a properly grounded metallic fixture).

2a. You have a hot-neutral reverse somewhere.

Items 2 and 2a can affect electric field (voltage gradient) distribution
within "bulbs" trying to start. Start failure of "doing the wrong thing"
can be intermittent and vary with temperature and humidity.

3. Some fixtures have starters - those can conk out, and are beaten
heavily by bad "bulbs". Furthermore, bad starters at least sometimes can
kill bulbs/"lamps"/"tubes".

4. Possibly replacement bulbs/lamps/tubes are not electrically compatible
with what the ballast(s) was/were designed for. Only use
bulbs/lamps/tubes that the label on the ballast says is suitable. With
some lengths, length does not tell the whole story. With some wattages,
wattage does not tell the whole story. It might be a good idea to print
out a snapshot of the ballast label when shopping for replacement "bulbs".
If you are shopping for a replacement ballast, ask for "bulbs" that are
electrically compatible (and mechanically compatible with your old ones -
bring one in!). This may affect your choice of replacement ballast, maybe
even where to buy it (and "bulbs") from.

- Don Klipstein )