Do all fluorescent lights have a starter?
Not all fluorescent lights have starters, but if yours does, it will usually be located near a tube socket. Lights with more than one tube have a separate starter for each.
Turn the power off. Check whether or not the fluorescent fixture contains a starter, which is usually located in plain view. Look underneath bulbs and, if necessary, remove them. If no starter is visible, the fixture is modern and contains no starter.
Can a fluorescent lamp work without a starter? Some modern fluorescent lights do work without a starter because they come pre-equipped with a ballast that has extra windings. It constantly supplies a small amount of voltage to give heat to the filaments.
The fluorescent tube won't turn on
No electrical power due to a tripped breaker or blown fuse. A dead or dying ballast. A dead starter.
No Starters Required
Magnetic ballasts required a starter to get the lamp lit, electronic ballasts do not require a starter.
Most modern fluorescent fixtures do not use starters, so you might not find one if your fixture is less than 15 to 20 years old. When determining whether your fixture uses a starter, be sure to look underneath the bulbs... sometimes the bulbs have to be removed first to gain access to the starter.
LED tubes do not need to have a starter (fuse) and can be fixed to be used without ballast. LED tubes are mostly used for home offices, garages and storage spaces at home.
In a fluorescent lighting system, the ballast regulates the current to the lamps and provides sufficient voltage to start the lamps. Without a ballast to limit its current, a fluorescent lamp connected directly to a high voltage power source would rapidly and uncontrollably increase its current draw.
Changing a flourescent tube and starter - YouTube
Take out your current bulbs and replace them with the new bulbs. If the bulbs fail to light up, then 9 out of 10 times the ballast is culprit. You could also try using a multimeter set to measure resistance.
Where is the fluorescent light starter located?
The starter is located on the lamp frame (there are typically two starters). When you turn on the light switch, the starter sends a jolt of electricity to the gas inside the fluorescent bulb. The ionized gas then conducts electricity and the bulb lights.
- Flickering. ...
- Buzzing. ...
- Delayed start. ...
- Low output. ...
- Inconsistent lighting levels. ...
- Switch to an electronic ballast, keep lamp. ...
- Switch to an electronic ballast, switch to a T8 fluorescent.
Blinking can also be caused by a loose connection in some of the wires inside the fixture, or by a defective ballast. It can also be caused by low temperatures (below about 50 degrees) unless you have special low-temperature tubes and low-temperature starters.
If you touch the bulb with your fingers, the salts and oils from your skin will damage the bulb and cause the heat to concentrate. This can significantly reduce the life of the bulb or even worse cause it to shatter.
Many LED tubes are "plug and play", meaning you can just install them like you would a fluorescent bulb. For this to be true, look for bulbs that are "ballast-compatible" meaning that they can use the ballast already installed in your fluorescent fixture to power the LEDs.
There are also 2 types of 4-22W starters. One type is for series on 230V but also for single on 115V. The other type is just for single lamps only.
The most significant negative to a ballast-bypass linear LED is the risk of electric shock since the sockets carry line voltage. It's a common practice to place a finger on the lamp pins while you are trying to install it, and this becomes a risky endeavor when using single-ended ballast-bypass lamps .
Remove the Cover Plate
Locate the wiring cover plate, usually in the center of the fixture. On either side of the cover, there will be tabs that catch in slots in the fixture. Squeeze the sides of the cover inward to slip the tabs out of the slots, and pull the cover down. This will expose the ballast and its wiring.
Fluorescent starters or glow starters are used to help fluorescent tubes and lamps ignite in the initial starting stage of their operation. Simply put, fluorescent starters are a timed switch. The switch opens and closes until the fluorescent tube 'strikes' and lights-up.
According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use. The optimum economic life of a fluorescent lighting system with magnetic ballasts is usually about 15 years.
What are the parts of a fluorescent light fixture?
A fluorescent fixture has three main parts -- the bulb, ballast, and starter. When one of these components malfunctions, replacement is usually the answer.
Usually to get them out (a "can" starter), you push slightly and make a quarter-turn. Then they pop out. Yours may be different depending on how old it is. If you can get it out, take it to HomeDepot/Lowes and ask for help.
A fuse is the first place to check when a fluorescent light fixture will not light up after the switch is turned on. When the fuse is blown, electricity cannot flow from the power source into the lamps inside of the bulb. The fuse is the least expensive and simplest repair to make.
Can LED lamps work off of existing ballasts? Yes, if they have an internal driver than can work off that ballast. Philips, for example, has designed a tube that is compatible with an existing electronic ballast.
Ballast failure is often caused by the surrounding environment—mainly heat and moisture. When it's too hot or too cold, a ballast can burn or fail to start your lamps. Heat, along with continuous condensation inside an electronic ballast, can cause corrosion over time.
Fluorescent fixture ballest test - YouTube
Fluorescent lights age significantly if they are frequently switched on and off. Typical lamp life for a fluorescent bulb is about 20,000 hours, but this can degrade as a consequence of frequent switching (turning on and off). Burning life is extended if lamps remain on continuously for long periods of time.
Replacing the ballast in an old fixture is a must
T-12 fluorescent bulbs, long used in garages and shops, are being replaced by energy-saving T-8 bulbs. However, you'll probably need to replace the old ballast; otherwise the new bulb will burn out too fast.
As with any electrical situation where overheating is possible, a bad ballast can pose a fire danger. The overheated ballast could cause the plastic housing on the light itself to melt and, in the right conditions, flame up.
A replacement ballast costs about $10-25 depending on capacity and brand. The bite is that an electrician trip charge (which includes 30 or 60 minutes work) is going to be $75-150 probably - for about 5 minutes work on each light fixture.
What is a starter on a fluorescent light?
Fluorescent starters or glow starters are used to help fluorescent tubes and lamps ignite in the initial starting stage of their operation. Simply put, fluorescent starters are a timed switch. The switch opens and closes until the fluorescent tube 'strikes' and lights-up.
Changing a flourescent tube and starter - YouTube
Most newer generation electronic ballasts can operate both high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps as well as metal-halide lamps. The ballast initially works as a starter for the arc by its internal ignitor, supplying a high-voltage impulse and, later, it works as a limiter/regulator of the electric flow inside the circuit.
| Starter | For use with |
|---|---|
| FS-2 | F14, F15, F20 preheat fluorescent lamps |
| FS-4 | F13, F30, F40 preheat fluorescent lamps |
| FS-5 | F4, F6, F8 preheat fluorescent lamps |
| FS-12 | FC12 Circline lamps when operated by preheat ballasts; F22 T8 preheat lamps; F32 |
All fluorescent bulbs require a ballast. All compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs require a ballast, which is often integrated. All HID bulbs require a ballast, which is sometimes integrated. No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast.
There are also 2 types of 4-22W starters. One type is for series on 230V but also for single on 115V. The other type is just for single lamps only.
A fluorescent fixture has three main parts -- the bulb, ballast, and starter. When one of these components malfunctions, replacement is usually the answer.
If you touch the bulb with your fingers, the salts and oils from your skin will damage the bulb and cause the heat to concentrate. This can significantly reduce the life of the bulb or even worse cause it to shatter.
The most significant negative to a ballast-bypass linear LED is the risk of electric shock since the sockets carry line voltage. It's a common practice to place a finger on the lamp pins while you are trying to install it, and this becomes a risky endeavor when using single-ended ballast-bypass lamps .
An LED light does not require a ballast because it uses a component called a “driver” to regulate the power going into the bulb.
