I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.

By the way, I have seen recommendations about tube colours but can't recall
what was the recommendation.

--


Regards

John




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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to
flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.

By the way, I have seen recommendations about tube colours but can't
recall
what was the recommendation.

--


Regards

John

Usually the starter is at fault however could be the internal transformer
doubtful though.

Grouch




---
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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.588 / Virus Database: 372 - Release Date: 13/02/2004

On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 22:36:29 -0000, "John"
john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote:

I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.

Could be the tube or starter, most probably the fitting is getting to
the end of it's life. For what they cost I would get a new one.
If you're unsure buy a complete fitting with tube and starter, try the
tube and starter in the old fitting. If it doesn't work change the
whole lot, if it does work stick the tube and starter back in the new
fitting and exchange for tube and starter. I quite ofrten do that, or
buy a complete fitting and tube & starter, just take back whatever you
don't use.
...

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to
flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.

To eliminate the starter, once the light it alight, remove the starter (if
you can!)

Usually when they start to flick, the bulb is on the way out - when they
don't flick, the starter is usually dead (if you leave a dead bulb flicking,
the starter will soon burn out! - well normal ones do, the electronic ones
may not)

Sparks...

On 16/02/2004 John a wrote :
I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.

If you actually meant it has an electronic starter (small plastic
cansister with two pins)....

In order of most likely cause.
1. The starter. You can eliminate this by removing the starter once the
tube has stuck, if it stays lit continuously, then it is the starter
which is faulty.

2. Tube suffering from wear and tear.

3. Some other problem... Choke, or poor connections, or similar.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.org

In article ,
Lurch wrote:
Could be the tube or starter, most probably the fitting is getting to
the end of it's life.

I'm not quite sure what there is in a fitting 'to come to the end of its
life'? Don't see why a choke has a life, and there ain't much else.

--
*(over a sketch of the titanic) "The boat sank - get over it

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

Dave Plowman wrote:

I'm not quite sure what there is in a fitting 'to come to the end of its
life'? Don't see why a choke has a life, and there ain't much else.

I've heard that some of them just get bored with the day to day drudgery
of their meaningless existence, and decide to end it.

--
Grunff

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 01:35:01 +0000, Grunff wrote:

Dave Plowman wrote:

I'm not quite sure what there is in a fitting 'to come to the end of its
life'? Don't see why a choke has a life, and there ain't much else.

I've heard that some of them just get bored with the day to day drudgery
of their meaningless existence, and decide to end it.

I can sympathise with them!
If that's all thats in a fitting then that must be what's come to the
end of it's life. Can't see why it's so difficult to grasp.
...

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

New tube fixed it

--


Regards


"John" john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote in message
...
I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to
flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.

By the way, I have seen recommendations about tube colours but can't
recall
what was the recommendation.

--


Regards

John




---
All of my outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.588 / Virus Database: 372 - Release Date: 13/02/2004




---
All of my outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.588 / Virus Database: 372 - Release Date: 13/02/2004

"Grunff" wrote
| Dave Plowman wrote:
| I've heard that some of them just get bored with the day to day
| drudgery of their meaningless existence, and decide to end it.

My kitchen ELU doesn't like turning on unless I take its cover off and
stroke its tube gently. This somewhat negates the purpose of its existence,
which is to stop me dropping something hot in the darkness.

I have just bought it a nice new tube from John Lewis, so it shouldn't be
feeling uncared-for.

Owain

(Lurch) wrote in message ...
On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 22:36:29 -0000, "John"
john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote:

I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.

Could be the tube or starter, most probably the fitting is getting to
the end of it's life. For what they cost I would get a new one.

Fluroescent lighting is one of the longest lived appliances youll find
in houses. Lifetimes of several decades are expected, with numerous
1960s fittings are still giving service as good as new. 12 years is
young.

This fault is cause by falling tube emission. When the tube goes out
the fitting puts it through the start cycle, which increases tube
emitter temps thus improving emission, but they slowly cool off a
little, bulb current falls, consequently emitter temp falls in a
vicious cycle until the light blacks out again, repeat ad nauseam.

Replace the starter as well though, as starters are generally damaged
by this routine.

In principle one can boost the tube filaments to allow it to keep
going for a while longer like this, but I've never heard of anyone
else trying it.


Regards, NT

N. Thornton wrote:
(Lurch) wrote in message ...

On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 22:36:29 -0000, "John"
john.plant90@NO-SPAMntlworldDOTcom wrote:


I have a 56watt strip light in the kitchen and it has just started to flick
off for a second or so every now and again. It starts fine (electronic
starter) and the ends of the tube are not going particularly dark. Will it
be the tube - or could it be a component breaking down. The fitting is
probably about 12 years old.


Could be the tube or starter, most probably the fitting is getting to
the end of it's life. For what they cost I would get a new one.


Fluroescent lighting is one of the longest lived appliances youll find
in houses. Lifetimes of several decades are expected, with numerous
1960s fittings are still giving service as good as new. 12 years is
young.

This fault is cause by falling tube emission. When the tube goes out
the fitting puts it through the start cycle, which increases tube
emitter temps thus improving emission, but they slowly cool off a
little, bulb current falls, consequently emitter temp falls in a
vicious cycle until the light blacks out again, repeat ad nauseam.

Replace the starter as well though, as starters are generally damaged
by this routine.

In principle one can boost the tube filaments to allow it to keep
going for a while longer like this, but I've never heard of anyone
else trying it.


Regards, NT

I replaced my flourescent fitting after a few years because I was sick
of having to traipse around trying to find a replacement 5' tube and
having no light while I did so. The old tubes were a pain to dispose of
too.

Velvet

In article ,
Velvet wrote:
I replaced my flourescent fitting after a few years because I was sick
of having to traipse around trying to find a replacement 5' tube and
having no light while I did so. The old tubes were a pain to dispose of
too.

I've got a couple of 3' 6" fittings which are an exact fit for the
application. And recently fitted my last pair of tubes. ;-)

--
*If I throw a stick, will you leave?

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

Dave Plowman wrote:

In article ,
Velvet wrote:

I replaced my flourescent fitting after a few years because I was sick
of having to traipse around trying to find a replacement 5' tube and
having no light while I did so. The old tubes were a pain to dispose of
too.


I've got a couple of 3' 6" fittings which are an exact fit for the
application. And recently fitted my last pair of tubes. ;-)


And your point is? Mine wasn't a double fitting, in case that's what
you were hinting I should have. I just found the whole rigmarole of
buying something that size and transporting it home tedious, then the
disposal of old tube after on top of it all.

I now have much better lighting in there courtesy of the halogens (which
are functioning wonderfully after replacement of wire with decently
thick stuff!) - and two sets means I'm never in total darkness in there.

Cooking by means of torchlight/candles each time the flourescent bulb
went was annoying, and the drop in light output through the shade
getting dirty/full of flying things was also not good. Coupled with the
fact that I could always perceive a flicker in my peripheral vision made
the whole thing unpleasant.

If my next place has a flourescent fitting like that, I'll be changing
that for my lovely halogens (they're coming with me!)

Velvet

In article ,
Velvet wrote:
I've got a couple of 3' 6" fittings which are an exact fit for the
application. And recently fitted my last pair of tubes. ;-)


And your point is?

3' 6" isn't available anymore. Are you usually so aggressive?

Mine wasn't a double fitting, in case that's what
you were hinting I should have.

Wasn't hinting at anything. And in any case, you didn't say what you
replaced it with.

I just found the whole rigmarole of
buying something that size and transporting it home tedious, then the
disposal of old tube after on top of it all.

So what have you found that's everlasting and gives the same light?

FWIW, fluorescents with electronic ballasts are as near everlasting as
just about any light fitting.

--
*It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

Dave Plowman wrote:

In article ,
Velvet wrote:

I've got a couple of 3' 6" fittings which are an exact fit for the
application. And recently fitted my last pair of tubes. ;-)



And your point is?


3' 6" isn't available anymore. Are you usually so aggressive?

Wasn't aware of that, not having bothered with them for so long. No,
I'm not, but I do get frustrated and thus have been known to appear
aggressive when I fail to see the point of someone's info, so sorry if I
came across that way, wasn't intended.



Mine wasn't a double fitting, in case that's what
you were hinting I should have.


Wasn't hinting at anything. And in any case, you didn't say what you
replaced it with.


Halogens, 2 sets of 4.


I just found the whole rigmarole of
buying something that size and transporting it home tedious, then the
disposal of old tube after on top of it all.


So what have you found that's everlasting and gives the same light?


More light out the halogens, much kinder light to my eyeballs, the bulbs
last for ages - longer than the flourescent used to, which I was
surprised by - and when one goes it's just one, small, easily
obtainable, and easily disposed of too.

FWIW, fluorescents with electronic ballasts are as near everlasting as
just about any light fitting.


Unsure what mine had. It used a little starter thing, that's as much as
I can remember about it...

Velvet

In article ,
Velvet wrote:
More light out the halogens, much kinder light to my eyeballs, the bulbs
last for ages - longer than the flourescent used to, which I was
surprised by - and when one goes it's just one, small, easily
obtainable, and easily disposed of too.

I'm afraid you've been very unlucky with your fluorescent - a decent one
lasts for ages. And gives a very decent soft light if you use the correct
tube. And, of course the fitting is concealed. If it's working light
you're talking about, as in a kitchen.

FWIW, fluorescents with electronic ballasts are as near everlasting as
just about any light fitting.


Unsure what mine had. It used a little starter thing, that's as much as
I can remember about it...

I've got a pair of electronically controlled fluorescents under wall
cupboards lighting the worktops that are many years old and never failed.
And they are left on when the house is unoccupied after dark.

--
*What hair colour do they put on the driver's license of a bald man? *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

I resisted for 4 days.

It's fluorescent, that's FLUOrescent, not flourescent!!

Aaah
Feel better now.

On Fri, 20 Feb 2004 23:39:47 -0000, "Suz" wrote:

I resisted for 4 days.

It's fluorescent, that's FLUOrescent, not flourescent!!

Aaah
Feel better now.

How about if we call them florries, (plural), or a florry, (singular),
from now on, no o's or u's to mix up!
...

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

In article ,
Lurch wrote:
How about if we call them florries, (plural), or a florry, (singular),
from now on, no o's or u's to mix up!

Don't the Merkins call them neons? Seems sensible to me. ;-) My spell
checker rarely guesses my first go at fluorescent.

--
*The statement below is true.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

In article , Suz
writes
I resisted for 4 days.

It's fluorescent, that's FLUOrescent, not flourescent!!

Aaah
Feel better now.


Thank you for putting me (and a few others) out of my misery!

Why shouldn't it be flourescent in this case? After all, it's providing
light for cooking...

All right, I'll get me coat.
--
Peter

Ying tong iddle-i po!

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 00:52:17 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman
wrote:

In article ,
Lurch wrote:
How about if we call them florries, (plural), or a florry, (singular),
from now on, no o's or u's to mix up!

Don't the Merkins call them neons? Seems sensible to me. ;-) My spell
checker rarely guesses my first go at fluorescent.

I've heard them called allsorts, florries was the closest to being
correct.
...

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

"Lurch" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 00:52:17 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman
wrote:

In article ,
Lurch wrote:
How about if we call them florries, (plural), or a florry, (singular),
from now on, no o's or u's to mix up!

Don't the Merkins call them neons? Seems sensible to me. ;-) My spell
checker rarely guesses my first go at fluorescent.

I've heard them called allsorts, florries was the closest to being
correct.
..
fluorescent not closer to correct?

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 02:30:26 -0000, "Suz" wrote:

How about if we call them florries, (plural), or a florry, (singular),
from now on, no o's or u's to mix up!

Don't the Merkins call them neons? Seems sensible to me. ;-) My spell
checker rarely guesses my first go at fluorescent.

I've heard them called allsorts, florries was the closest to being
correct.
..
fluorescent not closer to correct?

I see what you've done there, interesting....
...

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

Dave Plowman wrote:

In article ,
Lurch wrote:

How about if we call them florries, (plural), or a florry, (singular),
from now on, no o's or u's to mix up!


Don't the Merkins call them neons? Seems sensible to me. ;-) My spell
checker rarely guesses my first go at fluorescent.



It wold be eintrely sensible...if they had a gram of neon in them, which
they don't...