Flourescent light problems

[Phill Tibbetts]

I have 10 2 lamp flourescent lights in my garage whivh have been quitting until I only have 5 left that still work . Some filcker and some have black ends. I tried to replace a few with the green end lamps in the pics none would light. I replaced the ballast in one with a new ballast like the one shown in the pics and none would light. I made sure all the wires were connected same as the old one. what am I doing wrong? The larger lamp is one of the old ones.

 

[timcasbolt]

I've had nothing but trouble with flourescent's in my shop for over 25 years. Originally with T-12's and then with T-8's. This past winter I switched them out for led lights and it has been great. More light for less money and they actually start right up to full brightness in cold weather.

 

[Janicholson]

I put this in Google: econowatt flourescent compatible tubes And got several answers None were green letters.
I actually recommend putting LEDs in the fixture. (ask questions at the store. Jim

 

[Gambles]

I’m another opinion who says fluorescent bulbs should be taken out and replaced with LED bulbs, and I replace them with ones that bypass the ballast completely. About 5 years ago, I helped replace thousands of fluorescent bulbs with LED bulbs at a local school and they could have been happier.

 

[Mule Meat]

"What am I doing wrong?"

Wasting money on fluorescent bulbs and ballast when new 48" LED light fixtures can be gotten for under $30 each at Lowes.

Just remove the old light. Wire in an outlet using the existing wires. Plug in the new LED light in and be done.

 

[Keith True]

I converted all of mine over to LED years ago.I used my own fixtures,so I just used the end sockets to hold the tubes and eliminated the ballasts.I have a lot of fixtures,and I have 12 of them that take four 4 foot tubes.The quality of fluorescent lamps is now in the toilet.A GE factory 14 miles from me that made them closed down.Just no call for them anymore.The most important thing is to eliminate that ballast.That juice sucking heat generating thing is obsolete.I buy the LED tubes for about $10.each from batteries plus,then spend about 10 minutes de-wiring the old fixture.No more buzzing,flickering,waiting in the cold.Hit the switch,instant on,full brightness.hot or cold,plus a huge decrease in the electricity used.I did this about 10 years ago,and bought 10 extra tubes at the time.I still have the 10 extra unused tubes.

 

[Stan Coryell]

I have 10 2 lamp flourescent lights in my garage whivh have been quitting until I only have 5 left that still work . Some filcker and some have black ends. I tried to replace a few with the green end lamps in the pics none would light. I replaced the ballast in one with a new ballast like the one shown in the pics and none would light. I made sure all the wires were connected same as the old one. what am I doing wrong? The larger lamp is one of the old ones.

Black ends are often caused by a worn out "tombstone ".

Did you wire the new ballast correctly? According to the schematic, the tombstone needs a jumper between pins.

I have converted about 40 light fixtures to magnetic leds. Something like I linked. The light output is WAY better!

4 Foot LED Magnetic Strip Retrofit Kit for Linear Fixtures, 6050 Lumens, 50W, 4000K, 120-277V

WareLight's LED Linear Troffer and Industrial Strip Retrofit Kit Magnetic Strips are economic LED replacements for 2'x2', 1'x4' or 2'x4' existing fixtures in drop-in ceilings. They can also be used in existing industrial strips or wrap fixtures. The dimmable strips (arrays) come with a snap-in...

www.warehouse-lighting.com

 

[timcasbolt]

"What am I doing wrong?"

Wasting money on fluorescent bulbs and ballast when new 48" LED light fixtures can be gotten for under $30 each at Lowes.

Just remove the old light. Wire in an outlet using the existing wires. Plug in the new LED light in and be done.

5500 lumens for $20 at walmart. I've had more trouble with the fixtures than the bulbs, so I'm glad to replace everything and be done with it.

 

[farmersamm]

Black ends are often caused by a worn out "tombstone ".

Did you wire the new ballast correctly? According to the schematic, the tombstone needs a jumper between pins.

I have converted about 40 light fixtures to magnetic leds. Something like I linked. The light output is WAY better!

4 Foot LED Magnetic Strip Retrofit Kit for Linear Fixtures, 6050 Lumens, 50W, 4000K, 120-277V

WareLight's LED Linear Troffer and Industrial Strip Retrofit Kit Magnetic Strips are economic LED replacements for 2'x2', 1'x4' or 2'x4' existing fixtures in drop-in ceilings. They can also be used in existing industrial strips or wrap fixtures. The dimmable strips (arrays) come with a snap-in...

www.warehouse-lighting.com

Yeah, those coiled contacts always fry after a while. Problem is.........you literally have to take the whole stupid fixture apart to replace the things. Least mine are like that. The tombstones are cheap though.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

So with the LED replacaments do you just wire the line in to one end of the bulb ? I would like to be sure before I get them. A wiring diagram would be god.

 

[Gambles]

So with the LED replacaments do you just wire the line in to one end of the bulb ? I would like to be sure before I get them. A wiring diagram would be god.

Check the required diagram before you buy. The last 4-pin bulbs I got could be wired hot on one end and neutral on the other or hot and neutral on one side only. They also use any voltage from 120-270. They could also be used with or without a ballast. I take all troublesome ballast out of the equation.

 

[Keith True]

All the ones I've bought get wired to one end.The pins on the other ends are just to hold it in place.Instructions come in the package with each tube.The ones I bought from Batteries plus are made by a German company called Werker.Of course that doesn't mean they are made there,it's just the name of the company.But,zero failures in 10-12 years is good enough for me.

 

[Stan Coryell]

So with the LED replacaments do you just wire the line in to one end of the bulb ? I would like to be sure before I get them. A wiring diagram would be god.

The ones I posted abandoned all original parts and wiring. You just put power to the driver (the thing that looks like a ballast).

 

[Stan Coryell]

Yeah, those coiled contacts always fry after a while. Problem is.........you literally have to take the whole stupid fixture apart to replace the things. Least mine are like that. The tombstones are cheap though.

It's a a few dollars more for the led retro kit I posted. By the time you buy 4 tombstones, a ballast, and two tubes.

Good tubes are becoming a problem. Ballast are also a problem. They last 3 or 4 years, not 30. The LEDs also put out twice the light.

 

[DoubleO7]

Put these babies in and be done with it.

https://www.amazon.com/ELEKICO-Linkable-14000LM-Lighting-Fixtures/dp/B089Q27FHF?sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D

 

[showcrop]

Don't even think of buying anymore fluorescent bulbs or ballasts. What you want is LED bulbs with the wire kit to convert your existing fixtures. It is called a "Ballast Bypass conversion kit" I have put a lot of them in at my church and in my shop. Once you do the first one they are quick and easy to do. ten minutes per fixture.

 

[GChief]

There is a reason we have been changing out Navy hanger bay lightning from fluorescent to LED for the last decade. We also only put half of the fixtures back up and have more light. Plus the power savings are "huge"

 

[Blackhole49]

I have 10 2 lamp flourescent lights in my garage whivh have been quitting until I only have 5 left that still work . Some filcker and some have black ends. I tried to replace a few with the green end lamps in the pics none would light. I replaced the ballast in one with a new ballast like the one shown in the pics and none would light. I made sure all the wires were connected same as the old one. what am I doing wrong? The larger lamp is one of the old ones.

Just another go LED or go home. Just one option from Amazon;

https://www.amazon.com/10Pack-4FT-LED-Shop-Light/dp/B0D9QQ41MK?crid=3GN7DK3EW5WEC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Qfuhuu8A0zu8EubNK_mcjbJ40u87QQul2KTZU2CGAZzJKXrVP0RlPAtFbExXNEW4ZxZn2P-SqwmuTEfR8YVX26gCqIkYq73ZwidjtqaA1I79svUQK4JEmYeGX17wSuSboGltMnIubOgNgmq6X82sJz0_0owT3pHYZ7u_L1zZoutmbzBRx2ncGMQXTo65mOk_DAZVGJrozuQ541Hu4HJOQ1xxVlQtGIfmL1Kv3gMQ6IWXhWiVRq5PDiGI50a_I3ViI4Onsw2yuOMzsjIxiuUqJZ_F9H9agosdPLosGDiQVac.qGZvQHekA9St6hPpnojmpKjAkn2qDeZUSOR-dU8q4JY&dib_tag=se&keywords=4%27%2Bled%2Bshop%2Blight&qid=1749043057&sprefix=4%27%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-25&th=1

 

[JMOR]

Led tubes with instructions on removing ballast and wiring instructions for your fixture. Took maybe 10 minutes.

 

[Smalltowner]

I've had nothing but trouble with flourescent's in my shop for over 25 years. Originally with T-12's and then with T-8's. This past winter I switched them out for led lights and it has been great. More light for less money and they actually start right up to full brightness in cold weather.

Ditto Tim. I have 2-8foot 2 lamp and 3 two lamps 4 footers only have to use the 2- 4 footers. If I turn them all on you need sunglasses. LEDs are great. I use the plug and play type.