I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 00:29:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?
Should be able to - the worst that can happen is it will STILL be
dead.
And when you say "older" you should REALLY be saying OLD.
It's been a couple of decades since a "starter" has been used on a
flourescent lamp.

wrote in
:

On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 00:29:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?


Should be able to - the worst that can happen is it will STILL be
dead.


What puzzled me is that specific wattages were indicated, rather than an
upper-and-lower range of wattages. This suggested to me that there was some
characteristic of the starter that rendered it functional--or safely
functional--only at those specific wattages.

I am, as you may be able to tell, not an electronics expert. But I know
enough to be able to keep from electrocuting myself, and from setting fire
to my surroundings.

(I have now also asked my question in sci.electronics.repair, where I fully
expect to be inflicted with 3rd-degree burns for having failed to ask an
intelligent question. I invite you to amuse yourself by following my
progress in that group...)


And when you say "older" you should REALLY be saying OLD.
It's been a couple of decades since a "starter" has been used on a
flourescent lamp.



The fixture is a GE unit that's at /least/ 15-years-old and bears the
"Order Code" number "UCF18P/CND".

This picture is what I'm identifying as a "starter":
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/fluor-starter.jpg
The silver thing at rear appears to be a potted coil.


--
Tegger

On Jan 6, 6:29*pm, Tegger wrote:
I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

Any starter good for 13W will slao work fine at 15W



On Jan 6, 6:29*pm, Tegger wrote:
I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

On Jan 6, 9:07*pm, Tegger wrote:
wrote :

On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 00:29:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

*Should be able to - the worst that can happen is it will STILL be
dead.

What puzzled me is that specific wattages were indicated, rather than an
upper-and-lower range of wattages. This suggested to me that there was some
characteristic of the starter that rendered it functional--or safely
functional--only at those specific wattages.

I am, as you may be able to tell, not an electronics expert. But I know
enough to be able to keep from electrocuting myself, and from setting fire
to my surroundings.

(I have now also asked my question in sci.electronics.repair, where I fully
expect to be inflicted with 3rd-degree burns for having failed to ask an
intelligent question. I invite you to amuse yourself by following my
progress in that group...)

*And when you say "older" you should REALLY be saying OLD.
It's been a couple of decades since a "starter" has been used on a
flourescent lamp.

The fixture is a GE unit that's at /least/ 15-years-old and bears the
"Order Code" number "UCF18P/CND".

This picture is what I'm identifying as a "starter":
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/fluor-starter.jpg
The silver thing at rear appears to be a potted coil.

--
Tegger

"hr(bob) " wrote in
:

Any starter good for 13W will slao work fine at 15W



Took you three tries to tell me that?


--
Tegger

your giving WRONG information on availability and use of starters and YOU
CANT EVEN SPELL FLUORESCENT ????



wrote in message
...
On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 00:29:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location
close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical
starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?
Should be able to - the worst that can happen is it will STILL be
dead.
And when you say "older" you should REALLY be saying OLD.
It's been a couple of decades since a "starter" has been used on a
flourescent lamp.

I just had a 20 inch (or so) light fixture go bad. I'd gotten it free,
taking apart some equipment in about 1995, and used it for many years to
light the hall of my trailer. Went to Walmart, and bought something similar
for under ten bucks. Unless this is really essential to get the same light
going again, I'd give a serious look at replacement.

Of course, you know your situation better than I.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Tegger" wrote in message
...
I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in
:

I just had a 20 inch (or so) light fixture go bad. I'd gotten it free,
taking apart some equipment in about 1995, and used it for many years
to light the hall of my trailer. Went to Walmart, and bought something
similar for under ten bucks. Unless this is really essential to get
the same light going again, I'd give a serious look at replacement.


I did visit Home Depot and another hardware store, but what I found there
was not what I wanted. I did not think of Walmart, though. Will try that
today. And I will pick up that starter anyway; for $4, it's worth a shot.



--
Tegger

That's a thought, the four dollar starter might do the job. I'd also check
old time hardware stores, they often have that kind of thing. Off the edge
of my memory, I have a couple fluorescent starters in my pile of clutter.
Not sure what values. Have you tried Ebay or Froogle? Seems like you can get
anything except a bride on Ebay, or a gun.

When I was looking for under counter lights, they were MUCH less money at
walmart. Probably both made in China, of course.

Please let us know if the starter works.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Tegger" wrote in message
...

I did visit Home Depot and another hardware store, but what I found there
was not what I wanted. I did not think of Walmart, though. Will try that
today. And I will pick up that starter anyway; for $4, it's worth a shot.



--
Tegger

On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 08:21:34 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

That's a thought, the four dollar starter might do the job. I'd also check
old time hardware stores, they often have that kind of thing. Off the edge
of my memory, I have a couple fluorescent starters in my pile of clutter.
Not sure what values. Have you tried Ebay or Froogle? Seems like you can get
anything except a bride on Ebay, or a gun.

When I was looking for under counter lights, they were MUCH less money at
walmart. Probably both made in China, of course.

Please let us know if the starter works.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"Tegger" wrote in message
...

I did visit Home Depot and another hardware store, but what I found there
was not what I wanted. I did not think of Walmart, though. Will try that
today. And I will pick up that starter anyway; for $4, it's worth a shot.
For under counter lighting I'd never go to flourescent any more with
LEDs being at the state of development they have now reached.

As for desk lamps, likely the same - but the OLD desk flourescents
I've had around - up to 45 years old now - did not use a starter -
they used a "start button". You just hold the button down 'till it
glows and flickers, then release and the light is on.

Other tha special purpose lights (like aquarium lighting) I thought
virtually everything flourescent of recent design and manufacture used
rapid start ballasts.. I guess that may still be true - but the
specialty stuff, although of recent manufacture, is still of early
design. Why change what isn't broken?

On Jan 7, 12:29*am, Tegger wrote:
I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

If you are careful you can start your tube with a bit of (insulated)
wire flicked across the to starter terminals. When it has started you
can take it away.
Obviously don't touch any live parts.

Once up and running, the starter is redundant and hence can be removed
and used on other lights of the same wattage.

harry wrote in
:



If you are careful you can start your tube with a bit of (insulated)
wire flicked across the to starter terminals. When it has started you
can take it away.
Obviously don't touch any live parts.



I'm glad you suggested that, since I didn't think of it.

I did just what you suggested, and...nothing. No spark, no light. I then
checked across the terminals of the starter and found roughly 2.5VDC. This
drops to 0 if I turn off the on/off switch.

Then, since I'm considering the fixture to be junk anyway, I just cut off
the starter and checked between the open ends of the wires. Same 2.5VDC.
Held the wire-ends in contact, and nothing.

I'm finding continuity everywhere you'd logically expect to find it, and I
tried three different bulbs, two brand-new.

I can't see that 2.5VDC is correct. The problem then must be the ballast,
and not the starter?


--
Tegger

On Fri, 6 Jan 2012 19:49:22 -0800, "Harrison Lighting and Neon"
wrote:

your giving WRONG information on availability and use of starters and YOU
CANT EVEN SPELL FLUORESCENT ????



wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 00:29:36 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location
close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical
starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?
Should be able to - the worst that can happen is it will STILL be
dead.
And when you say "older" you should REALLY be saying OLD.
It's been a couple of decades since a "starter" has been used on a
flourescent lamp.

So I screwed up. Fire me.

On Jan 7, 6:50*pm, Tegger wrote:
harry wrote :



If you are careful you can start your tube with a bit of (insulated)
wire flicked across the to starter terminals. *When it has started you
can take it away.
Obviously don't touch any live parts.

I'm glad you suggested that, since I didn't think of it.

I did just what you suggested, and...nothing. No spark, no light. I then
checked across the terminals of the starter and found roughly 2.5VDC. This
drops to 0 if I turn off the on/off switch.

Then, since I'm considering the fixture to be junk anyway, I just cut off
the starter and checked between the open ends of the wires. Same 2.5VDC.
Held the wire-ends in contact, and nothing.

I'm finding continuity everywhere you'd logically expect to find it, and I
tried three different bulbs, two brand-new.

I can't see that 2.5VDC is correct. The problem then must be the ballast,
and not the starter?

--
Tegger

One of the tube filments may be open circuit or less likely there may
be an OC in the wiring or the ballast/coil.
Faulty tube is most likely

On 1/6/2012 9:34 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 00:29:36 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:

I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?
Should be able to - the worst that can happen is it will STILL be
dead.
And when you say "older" you should REALLY be saying OLD.
It's been a couple of decades since a "starter" has been used on a
flourescent lamp.

I have a desk lamp that predates the common use of starters. Instead it
has a momentary on push button switch to turn it on. Some antique juke
boxes I work on also have a starter switch for the fluorescent lights.

On 1/7/2012 1:50 PM, Tegger wrote:
wrote in
:



If you are careful you can start your tube with a bit of (insulated)
wire flicked across the to starter terminals. When it has started you
can take it away.
Obviously don't touch any live parts.



I'm glad you suggested that, since I didn't think of it.

I did just what you suggested, and...nothing. No spark, no light. I then
checked across the terminals of the starter and found roughly 2.5VDC. This
drops to 0 if I turn off the on/off switch.

Then, since I'm considering the fixture to be junk anyway, I just cut off
the starter and checked between the open ends of the wires. Same 2.5VDC.
Held the wire-ends in contact, and nothing.

I'm finding continuity everywhere you'd logically expect to find it, and I
tried three different bulbs, two brand-new.

I can't see that 2.5VDC is correct. The problem then must be the ballast,
and not the starter?


You should be measuring AC not DC.

Tony Miklos wrote in
:




You should be measuring AC not DC.




Sorry, I was measuring VAC. The "VDC" was a typo. I work on cars much more
than I work with line voltage, so I'm too used to thinking "VDC" when I
type.


--
Tegger

harry wrote in
:



One of the tube filments may be open circuit or less likely there may
be an OC in the wiring or the ballast/coil.
Faulty tube is most likely


I tried three tubes, two brand-new. Plus I tested the tubes' filaments for
continuity.

I also tested for continuity within the fixture where it seemed logical to
see it. I assumed I'd find an open through the ballast, which I did find.

But I guessed that when the ballast was fed with (a measured) 123VAC, I'd
see something similar across the wires where the starter was, but all I
found was 2.5VAC. That appears to be not enough to strike a spark, and no
spark was had, no matter how slowly I brought the wires together.

In any case, I went to Walmart and bought a near dead-ringer of my old GE
unit for a whopping $13. So this matter is done. Thanks to all who helped.

--
Tegger

Tony Miklos wrote in
:



I have a desk lamp that predates the common use of starters. Instead
it has a momentary on push button switch to turn it on


I have a similar desk-lamp unit. It dates from the early-'70s. It has two
buttons: one to turn the unit ON, and one to turn it OFF. Both are
momentary switches, and you need to hold down the ON button until the unit
lights up.


--
Tegger

On 1/7/2012 5:09 PM, Tegger wrote:
Tony wrote in
:



I have a desk lamp that predates the common use of starters. Instead
it has a momentary on push button switch to turn it on


I have a similar desk-lamp unit. It dates from the early-'70s. It has two
buttons: one to turn the unit ON, and one to turn it OFF. Both are
momentary switches, and you need to hold down the ON button until the unit
lights up.


I lost mine in a move and really miss it. It was great for working on
detailed things where I need a lot of light. ^_^

TDD

On Jan 6, 10:45*pm, Tegger wrote:
"hr(bob) " wrote :

Any starter good for 13W will slao work fine at 15W

Took you three tries to tell me that?

--
Tegger

LMAO

On Jan 7, 1:01*pm, harry wrote:
On Jan 7, 12:29*am, Tegger wrote:

I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

If you are careful you can start your tube with a bit of (insulated)
wire flicked across the to starter terminals. *When it has started you
can take it away.
Obviously don't touch any live parts.

Once up and running, the starter is redundant and hence can be removed
and used on other lights of the same wattage.

Yeah thats a good way to check and see if the starter is really bad. I
used to work in the amusements business as a tech. I took care of
hundreds of flourescent lamps.I had a test starter that was just the
case with the inards removed and a push button connected across the
terminals. Still could be a bad bulb or ballast or both, starter too.

Jimmie

On 1/7/2012 9:40 PM, JIMMIE wrote:
On Jan 7, 1:01 pm, wrote:
On Jan 7, 12:29 am, wrote:

I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

If you are careful you can start your tube with a bit of (insulated)
wire flicked across the to starter terminals. When it has started you
can take it away.
Obviously don't touch any live parts.

Once up and running, the starter is redundant and hence can be removed
and used on other lights of the same wattage.

Yeah thats a good way to check and see if the starter is really bad. I
used to work in the amusements business as a tech. I took care of
hundreds of flourescent lamps.I had a test starter that was just the
case with the inards removed and a push button connected across the
terminals. Still could be a bad bulb or ballast or both, starter too.

Jimmie

I seem to recall some fluorescent starters having a little red reset
button coming out of the top.

TDD

On Jan 7, 11:07*pm, Tegger wrote:
harry wrote :



One of the tube filments may be open circuit or less likely there may
be an OC in the wiring or the ballast/coil.
Faulty tube is most likely

I tried three tubes, two brand-new. Plus I tested the tubes' filaments for
continuity.

I also tested for continuity within the fixture where it seemed logical to
see it. I assumed I'd find an open through the ballast, which I did find.

But I guessed that when the ballast was fed with (a measured) 123VAC, I'd
see something similar across the wires where the starter was, but all I
found was 2.5VAC. That appears to be not enough to strike a spark, and no
spark was had, no matter how slowly I brought the wires together.

In any case, I went to Walmart and bought a near dead-ringer of my old GE
unit for a whopping $13. So this matter is done. Thanks to all who helped..

--
Tegger

Well you should get a circuit through the ballast. It is only a coil
of copper wire on an iron frame.
Unless you can get a second hand one, not worth replacing.
New fluorescent lights have electronic control gear, no starter and
the tube should last much longer in theory with an instant start.

harry wrote in
:

On Jan 7, 11:07*pm, Tegger wrote:

Unless you can get a second hand one, not worth replacing.


It's in the trash now.


New fluorescent lights have electronic control gear, no starter and
the tube should last much longer in theory with an instant start.


This new one does fire up immediately, whereas the old one took a second to
start. That's a nice little upgrade for me.


--
Tegger