The fluorescent lamp on a Kenmore Model 250 stove (now
20 years old) has started wrecking new fluor. tubes
(Sylvania, 22-inch, 18 watts). Symptoms a
1. Dark grey bars appear at both ends of the new tube
within 5 min. use.
2. Tube lights only at the two ends (dark in the middle
for 18 inches.) One end shows white light, the other pink light.

What does this mean?

Respondents in alt.home.repair suggest either the starter
(switch?) or the ballast has died (cf. 20 years old.) The stove
manual includes no circuit diagram. The works are concealed
by two back panels, one (40% area) over the other 95%). Removed,
the upper panel reveals only wiring and connectors and one small
transformer labelled 18w and 15w (obviously for upper fluor. tube and
stove incandescent lamp) so it would be easy to remove and replace
that -- but I suppose transformers rarely fail and the ballast and
starter are elsewhere, under the second panel.

It seems cheaper to add a new lamp fixture over the stove,
rather than dive deeper into wiring without a circuit diagram.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)