I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Thanks.

I will suggest several things to check in the order I would check.

Are the lamps black at one or both ends? If so replace them (get the
same type)

Try removing and replacing the lamps. Bad contact is a possibility.

Make sure the fixture is properly grounded. This is especially important
in a bathroom as it is not only a functional issue, but a safety issue.

Consider replacing the fixtures. I would tend to chose non-fluorescent
fixtures. There are some safety concerns and at least some codes have
banned them from bathrooms. Generally they are not good lights for
bathrooms. The quality of light is not good and the short term use they
generally get in a bathroom tends to negate their advantages.

Remember that cold temperatures are a problem for many fluorescent lamps
and that is likely why they just started having problems.

Good Luck

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


"Fleemo" wrote in message
om...
I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Thanks.

Replace in order: bulbs, starter (be certain you match to bulb wattage),
ballast. You probably can't get a replacement ballast, so you will need to
replace the entire fixture.

"Fleemo" wrote in message
om...
I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Thanks.

Don't use flourescent bulbs in places where you are often turning on
and off the light.

Home Depot and Lowes sells replacement ballasts but you need to know
what to buy and they are expensive. Also hooking them up is not fun
because the wires are usually too short. and you'll have to pigtail
them to the old wires.

Before replacing the ballast make sure it is wired tight. I started
taking one apart to replace the ballast and found a loose wire was the
culprit.


"William W. Plummer" wrote in
message news:HiiEb.390035$Dw6.1242677@attbi_s02...
Replace in order: bulbs, starter (be certain you match to bulb
wattage),
ballast. You probably can't get a replacement ballast, so you will
need to
replace the entire fixture.

"Fleemo" wrote in message
om...
I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to
about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a
half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously
the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see
the
light?"

Thanks.

An excellent time to upgrade to a high efficiency T-8 fixture with
electronic ballast.

Fluorescent lights should be used thruout your house for the
excellent cost savings on your energy bill.

And using a fluorescent light in the bathroom is extremely important
if someone in your house uses that room to apply makeup. That's
because most of the fluorescent lamps approach the color temperature
of outdoors, stores and offices where they will be seen. And you have
a choice in the color temperature when you replace the bulbs.

Only idiots would not have a fluorescent in the bathroom.

PJ






On 18 Dec 2003 01:08:40 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Thanks.

Only idiots would not have a fluorescent in the bathroom.

That really depends upon how much time you spend there. Fluorescent
bulbs are great if you are going to be there for a while or want to
put in a bulb that gives off the equivalent of 150W bulb in the space
a regular light bulb takes. Flourescent bulbs will die an early death
is used in places where they are switched on and off a lot. I don't
see why you would spend so much on a bulb that is going to die out
before you recoup the energy savings.

Don't use "Cool White" bulbs in the bathroom or kitchen. They have a strong
blue content which makes zits and meat turn purple. "Warm White" is the
pink equivalent which is much better in those places.


"PJx" wrote in message
...

An excellent time to upgrade to a high efficiency T-8 fixture with
electronic ballast.

Fluorescent lights should be used thruout your house for the
excellent cost savings on your energy bill.

And using a fluorescent light in the bathroom is extremely important
if someone in your house uses that room to apply makeup. That's
because most of the fluorescent lamps approach the color temperature
of outdoors, stores and offices where they will be seen. And you have
a choice in the color temperature when you replace the bulbs.

Only idiots would not have a fluorescent in the bathroom.

PJ






On 18 Dec 2003 01:08:40 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Thanks.

quoting:
I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Thanks.


What size are the bulbs? How many bulbs?

On 18 Dec 2003 01:08:40 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Thanks.

First thing......
Clean the fixture. (with power off).
Remove bulbs and clean exposed metal base & sides + outside
portion of end sockets.
Then clean the bulbs and reinstall.

Use a folded paper towel damped with something like "Streak free
Cinch" cleaner.

On 18 Dec 2003 01:08:40 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Does this have two 2-foot 1.5 inch diameter 20 watt bulbs? If so, then
chances are you have the usual "trigger start" ballast for that. I see
that dim performance, often with a little flickering, with those.

Replacing both bulbs usually fixes this.

Probably better would be to replace the ballast with one for two F17T8
"lamps" (bulbs), and then get two of those bulbs. You will probably need
to get all of this from an electrical or electrical/lighting supply shop.
Pay attention to the ballast wiring diagram on the label - it may
be different from from the wiring of the old ballast.

The F17T8 bulbs are available in different colors and two color
rendering grades. My favorite is GE /SPX35, Philips /TL835, or Sylvania
/D835 ("semi warm white" [my words] 3500 Kelvin, color rendering index in
the low-mid 80's).

- Don Klipstein )

(Don Klipstein) wrote in message ...
On 18 Dec 2003 01:08:40 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Does this have two 2-foot 1.5 inch diameter 20 watt bulbs? If so, then
chances are you have the usual "trigger start" ballast for that. I see
that dim performance, often with a little flickering, with those.

Replacing both bulbs usually fixes this.

Probably better would be to replace the ballast with one for two F17T8
"lamps" (bulbs), and then get two of those bulbs. You will probably need
to get all of this from an electrical or electrical/lighting supply shop.
Pay attention to the ballast wiring diagram on the label - it may
be different from from the wiring of the old ballast.

The F17T8 bulbs are available in different colors and two color
rendering grades. My favorite is GE /SPX35, Philips /TL835, or Sylvania
/D835 ("semi warm white" [my words] 3500 Kelvin, color rendering index in
the low-mid 80's).

- Don Klipstein )


I second earlier suggestions to replace both lamps and upgrade the
ballast to an electronic model. But in bathroom, due to relatively
frequent on/off cycles, lamps will fail relatively quickly on
so-called instant or rapid start electronic ballasts. For replacement
use only a programmed start el. ballast; pick brand name specifically
for the lamps you have. Good programmed start ballast should start
your lamps 30-40K times on average without any effects on the lamp
life vs. few thousands only with a rapid start ballast. The best
ballasts out there are able to do 500k (yes, half a milion!) on/off
cycles and lamps still look like new.

Jack

In article , Jack wrote:
(Don Klipstein) wrote:
On 18 Dec 2003 01:08:40 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Does this have two 2-foot 1.5 inch diameter 20 watt bulbs? If so, then
chances are you have the usual "trigger start" ballast for that. I see
that dim performance, often with a little flickering, with those.

Replacing both bulbs usually fixes this.

Probably better would be to replace the ballast with one for two F17T8
"lamps" (bulbs), and then get two of those bulbs. You will probably need
to get all of this from an electrical or electrical/lighting supply shop.
Pay attention to the ballast wiring diagram on the label - it may
be different from from the wiring of the old ballast.

The F17T8 bulbs are available in different colors and two color
rendering grades. My favorite is GE /SPX35, Philips /TL835, or Sylvania
/D835 ("semi warm white" [my words] 3500 Kelvin, color rendering index in
the low-mid 80's).

- Don Klipstein )

I second earlier suggestions to replace both lamps and upgrade the
ballast to an electronic model. But in bathroom, due to relatively
frequent on/off cycles, lamps will fail relatively quickly on
so-called instant or rapid start electronic ballasts. For replacement
use only a programmed start el. ballast; pick brand name specifically
for the lamps you have. Good programmed start ballast should start
your lamps 30-40K times on average without any effects on the lamp
life vs. few thousands only with a rapid start ballast. The best
ballasts out there are able to do 500k (yes, half a milion!) on/off
cycles and lamps still look like new.

Rapid start and trigger start preheat the filaments as "program start"
does. "Program start" is merely a version of "rapid start". In the older
version of "rapid start" you get some lamp glow on cold or warming
electrodes for about a second, but I see the starting-related wear from
that being small compared to "instant start" which has near-full lamp
current on cold electrodes and relies on lamp arc current to heat up the
electrodes.

I believe that most ballasts for T8 "lamps" are instant start -
less-ideal for use in a bathroom, but T8 lamps are made for this and
should only lose 10 minutes of life per start, maybe less. That's
certainly more economical than keeping them on in a room mostly unoccupied
mostly for a half hour or more per period of non-occupancy, and probably
also more economical than usinmg incandescents. And more attractive than
tolerating dual-20-watt "trigger start" systems being cranky!

- Don Klipstein )

(Don Klipstein) wrote in message ...
In article , Jack wrote:
(Don Klipstein) wrote:
On 18 Dec 2003 01:08:40 -0800, (Fleemo) wrote:

I have a fluorescent light fixture in my bathroom that won't fully
light up anymore. When I flick the switch, the bulbs come on to about
30% full brightness. If I leave them on for a long time (maybe a half
an hour), they eventually kick on to full brightness. Obviously the
bulbs aren't burned out. What do I need to do in order to "see the
light?"

Does this have two 2-foot 1.5 inch diameter 20 watt bulbs? If so, then
chances are you have the usual "trigger start" ballast for that. I see
that dim performance, often with a little flickering, with those.

Replacing both bulbs usually fixes this.

Probably better would be to replace the ballast with one for two F17T8
"lamps" (bulbs), and then get two of those bulbs. You will probably need
to get all of this from an electrical or electrical/lighting supply shop.
Pay attention to the ballast wiring diagram on the label - it may
be different from from the wiring of the old ballast.

The F17T8 bulbs are available in different colors and two color
rendering grades. My favorite is GE /SPX35, Philips /TL835, or Sylvania
/D835 ("semi warm white" [my words] 3500 Kelvin, color rendering index in
the low-mid 80's).

- Don Klipstein )

I second earlier suggestions to replace both lamps and upgrade the
ballast to an electronic model. But in bathroom, due to relatively
frequent on/off cycles, lamps will fail relatively quickly on
so-called instant or rapid start electronic ballasts. For replacement
use only a programmed start el. ballast; pick brand name specifically
for the lamps you have. Good programmed start ballast should start
your lamps 30-40K times on average without any effects on the lamp
life vs. few thousands only with a rapid start ballast. The best
ballasts out there are able to do 500k (yes, half a milion!) on/off
cycles and lamps still look like new.

Rapid start and trigger start preheat the filaments as "program start"
does. "Program start" is merely a version of "rapid start". In the older
version of "rapid start" you get some lamp glow on cold or warming
electrodes for about a second, but I see the starting-related wear from
that being small compared to "instant start" which has near-full lamp
current on cold electrodes and relies on lamp arc current to heat up the
electrodes.

I believe that most ballasts for T8 "lamps" are instant start -
less-ideal for use in a bathroom, but T8 lamps are made for this and
should only lose 10 minutes of life per start, maybe less. That's
certainly more economical than keeping them on in a room mostly unoccupied
mostly for a half hour or more per period of non-occupancy, and probably
also more economical than usinmg incandescents. And more attractive than
tolerating dual-20-watt "trigger start" systems being cranky!

- Don Klipstein )

I beg to disagree. Differences between rapid and programmed start are
significant with quite dramatic effect on the lamps life (in
electronic ballasts); refer to this link:

http://www.universalballast.com/lite...rogrammed.html

Moreover, contemporary rapid start el. ballasts due to their simple
topology do not preheat filaments at all. They ignite lamps almost
instantenously, similarly to instant start models.

Please note that this study shows that rapid start is almost
equivalent, almost as bad as instant start, which is in full agreement
with my own observations.