OT testing flourscent transformers

[bill b va]

i have 2 double tube f96T12 lights in my shop out . i have tried new tubes but they still don't work . new transformers are nearly $40 . is there a way to test them . the problem could be in the connections or wiring . thanks bill

 

[showcrop]

I can't tell you much about it except that from earlier posts on here you need to replace the whole fixtures to a newer type that makes more light for less money.

 

[Dick2]

Ditto for new fixture. The light manufacturers change designs regularily to sell more light fixtures. New bulbs won't work in old fixtures and visa versa.

The game keeps changing. Ikea has announced that they will sell only LED bulbs now.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 09:32:50 10/15/12) Ditto for new fixture. The light manufacturers change designs regularily to sell more light fixtures. New bulbs won't work in old fixtures and visa versa.

The game keeps changing. Ikea has announced that they will sell only LED bulbs now.

ot at the mfgrs own initiative........federal efficiency regulations drive the changes. Some tubes and ballast types will be no longer available soon.

 

[wisbaker]

Industry and government have invested millions or maybe even billions of dollars in "global Warming". The return on investment is Uncle Sam gets to mandate energy efficiency to save us. This means manufacturers get to obsolete service parts for equipment under the guise of federal regulations to save the planet, forcing you to not buy a $5.00 part but instead a $50.00 fixture. It also means if your Union or business doesn't donate enough to the politicians slush er I mean "reelection" fund they'll take money from China or India to pass laws causing the export of the jobs. It's basically a power grab and we haven't been smart enough or won't get off our lazy backsides and vote in people that will change the game back into our favor.

 

[PJH]

Make sure they're grounded. Don't know why that would matter, but I fixed one for my barber by grounding it.

Paul

 

[PJH]

"but instead a $50.00 fixture"

You haven't priced any 8 ft fixtures lately.
8 ft. flourescent fixtures

 

[buickanddeere]

Should be about 5V across the heaters on the end of the tubes. If there is not a dim red glow on the tube ends. She will never strike an arc and light.
Should be approx 230-270V open circuit end to end and drop to approx 100-140V with the lamp functioning.
The real answer is to toss the fixture , ballast and lamps them install new.
Even if operating perfect they won't strike an arc at low temps or with low line voltage.
Are you seeing anything at all from the tubes?

 

[NCWayne]

I doubt the wiring inside the light is the problem. Not saying it never happens, but it's one of those things where there is nothing inside the housing to disturb it so unless a mouse chews and shorts wires, or a connection just decides to turn lose for no apparent reason, a bad ballast is more than likely the cause. Personally I just replaced the last of the old, heavy, ballast type transformers in my shop lights the other day with the new electronic ones. All six lights went out within a few months of each other, and all were working one day when turned off, and not the next when I turned them on. The new ballasts are electronic and require rewiring the inside of the light to make them work as they don't hook up exactly like the old ones did. Usually they have enough wire attached to do it without needing to splice anything, but I will say one of the ones I got was short wired by about a foot and I had to splice a piece on to make it work. I bought the latest one from Home Depot last Friday for $29 and change. Just make sure your looking at the ones for a standard T12 fixture and not the ones for the high output fixtures (unless that's what you have) because those are usually well upwards of 40 to 50 dollars. For the standard one, even at $29 it's still less than a new fixture which was running in the $50 range.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 12:41:06 10/15/12) Should be about 5V across the heaters on the end of the tubes. If there is not a dim red glow on the tube ends. She will never strike an arc and light.
Should be approx 230-270V open circuit end to end and drop to approx 100-140V with the lamp functioning.
The real answer is to toss the fixture , ballast and lamps them install new.
Even if operating perfect they won't strike an arc at low temps or with low line voltage.
Are you seeing anything at all from the tubes?

t does not appear that he gave enough information to determine whether his tubes have bi-pin (heaters) oe single pin (no heaters).

 

[buickanddeere]

You are correct, they are the old single pin peices of crap.
Never dawned on me that somebody would be trying to keep
those functional.
Time for new fixtures for sure. The new fixtures will pay for
themselves in lower energy use and make cold starts .

 

[NCWayne]

Why keep the old, single pin 'pieces of crap' going. Well from someone doing just that, let me offer up a few reasons. Personally I've got several boxes of bulbs that would other wise be worthless if I changed the type of light I use. Given that I've only used one and a half cases of bulbs in nearly 10 years, I've got alot of life left in not only the ones currently in the fixtures, but also in the ones left in the boxes. Second, and fortunatly mine aren't like this, but maybe they are all tied together end to end. I've seen many applications where this was done and in cases like that replacing one would be like trying to cut a link out of the middle of a chain without messing it up. For someone with say 10 of them in a row, that's what, $500 plus worth of light fixtures to replace, all over a $30 ballast. Then there are those that have been incorporated into the insulation on the ceiling, like those in my dad's shop. Taking even one down and trying to rewire it would be a royal PITA, again over a $30 ballast.

In the end there are alot of reasons someone has to keep their 'old pieces of crap' going instead of spending hundreds of dollars to replace every fixture, all over a $30 ballast. I know that in my case there would have to be a massive difference in the power bill every month for me to even begin to think about spending all that money and throwing as much away as I'd essentially be doing to make a change. That's why I do it, and I'm sure there are many others that feel the same.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 01:50:40 10/16/12) Why keep the old, single pin 'pieces of crap' going. Well from someone doing just that, let me offer up a few reasons. Personally I've got several boxes of bulbs that would other wise be worthless if I changed the type of light I use. Given that I've only used one and a half cases of bulbs in nearly 10 years, I've got alot of life left in not only the ones currently in the fixtures, but also in the ones left in the boxes. Second, and fortunatly mine aren't like this, but maybe they are all tied together end to end. I've seen many applications where this was done and in cases like that replacing one would be like trying to cut a link out of the middle of a chain without messing it up. For someone with say 10 of them in a row, that's what, $500 plus worth of light fixtures to replace, all over a $30 ballast. Then there are those that have been incorporated into the insulation on the ceiling, like those in my dad's shop. Taking even one down and trying to rewire it would be a royal PITA, again over a $30 ballast.

In the end there are alot of reasons someone has to keep their 'old pieces of crap' going instead of spending hundreds of dollars to replace every fixture, all over a $30 ballast. I know that in my case there would have to be a massive difference in the power bill every month for me to even begin to think about spending all that money and throwing as much away as I'd essentially be doing to make a change. That's why I do it, and I'm sure there are many others that feel the same.

CWayne, you might want to keep an eye on ballast availability & stock up on a few if they begin to look like they are becoming scarce & heading toward no longer available.

 

[buickanddeere]

All the more reason to scrap the obsolete single pin units and install something that reliably produces lots of light on a little power.
Or for all you use the lights and investment. Install some pigtails and use 300W incandescent.