In my apartment (yes I know it's not a house) I have a flourescent
fixture in the kitchen. A month or so ago (right when I moved in)
when I'd flip on the switch, it would usually light up very very
dimly. Sometimes if I reached up with my knife sharpener and gave it
a light tap on one end, it would light up just like normal and be fine
until I turned the lights off. I figured it was a loose tube or
something, but I had no way to reach it to jiggle it back into the
connector(s).

I bought a table, it came with chairs. Now I could reach it, but it
behaved itself completely up until about three days ago. Now, when I
turn on the lightswitch, both of the tubes (it's a 4-tube fixture with
2 tubes in it) glow orange on each end and that's it. Occasionally I
get a flash of white light right as I turn the switch off, but that's
all it will do. The apartments were built in 1975 and the fixture
hums when I turn it on, so I assume it is a magnetic ballast instead
of electronic.

Sew... Should I go out and buy some new tubes, or should I call the
Maintenance guy? I'd hate to erroneously spend money, but I'd also
hate to bring someone over just to tell me "go buy some new tubes".

Thanks.

On Jun 12, 9:44�pm, phaeton wrote:
In my apartment (yes I know it's not a house) I have a flourescent
fixture in the kitchen. �A month or so ago (right when I moved in)
when I'd flip on the switch, it would usually light up very very
dimly. �Sometimes if I reached up with my knife sharpener and gave it
a light tap on one end, it would light up just like normal and be fine
until I turned the lights off. �I figured it was a loose tube or
something, but I had no way to reach it to jiggle it back into the
connector(s).

I bought a table, it came with chairs. �Now I could reach it, but it
behaved itself completely up until about three days ago. �Now, when I
turn on the lightswitch, both of the tubes (it's a 4-tube fixture with
2 tubes in it) glow orange on each end and that's it. �Occasionally I
get a flash of white light right as I turn the switch off, but that's
all it will do. �The apartments were built in 1975 and the fixture
hums when I turn it on, so I assume it is a magnetic ballast instead
of electronic.

Sew... �Should I go out and buy some new tubes, or should I call the
Maintenance guy? �I'd hate to erroneously spend money, but I'd also
hate to bring someone over just to tell me "go buy some new tubes".

Thanks.

most likely bad lamps, take one out with you to store, and replace all
4...

Ok, so I took the tubes out and looked at them, then put them back in.

Some notes: Only one has a dark spot (not all round the end of the
tube, just one dark spot in the side). More importantly, the
connectors that the tubes sit in are all black and melted looking.

I think this calls for a fixture replacement.


Thanks.

phaeton wrote:
Ok, so I took the tubes out and looked at them, then put them back in.

Some notes: Only one has a dark spot (not all round the end of the
tube, just one dark spot in the side). More importantly, the
connectors that the tubes sit in are all black and melted looking.

I think this calls for a fixture replacement.


Thanks.

Hi,
4 lamp fixture? Then inner two and outer two work as pairs.
One bad will make borh lamp stay off. They're cheap. Just replace them
all. I like daylight lamps.

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
newskm4k.3682$kx.3393@pd7urf3no...
phaeton wrote:
Ok, so I took the tubes out and looked at them, then put them back in.

Some notes: Only one has a dark spot (not all round the end of the
tube, just one dark spot in the side). More importantly, the
connectors that the tubes sit in are all black and melted looking.

I think this calls for a fixture replacement.


Thanks.

Hi,
4 lamp fixture? Then inner two and outer two work as pairs.
One bad will make borh lamp stay off. They're cheap. Just replace them
all. I like daylight lamps.


Change the tubes and do the starters as well. Most tubes burn out because
the starters are knackered. If the tombstones that hold the tubes in are
burnt or distorted maybe fixture replacement is the cheapest/easiest!

On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:44:35 -0700, phaeton wrote:

In my apartment (yes I know it's not a house) I have a flourescent
fixture in the kitchen. A month or so ago (right when I moved in) when
I'd flip on the switch, it would usually light up very very dimly.
Sometimes if I reached up with my knife sharpener and gave it a light
tap on one end, it would light up just like normal and be fine until I
turned the lights off. I figured it was a loose tube or something, but
I had no way to reach it to jiggle it back into the connector(s).

I bought a table, it came with chairs. Now I could reach it, but it
behaved itself completely up until about three days ago. Now, when I
turn on the lightswitch, both of the tubes (it's a 4-tube fixture with 2
tubes in it) glow orange on each end and that's it. Occasionally I get
a flash of white light right as I turn the switch off, but that's all it
will do. The apartments were built in 1975 and the fixture hums when I
turn it on, so I assume it is a magnetic ballast instead of electronic.

Sew... Should I go out and buy some new tubes, or should I call the
Maintenance guy? I'd hate to erroneously spend money, but I'd also hate
to bring someone over just to tell me "go buy some new tubes".

Thanks.

Go find a light fixture you like and ask your landlord if you could
install it. You could always take it with you or leave it.



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Franz Fripplfrappl