HELP! 2x 58w 5ft fluro fitting fault

[aes2011]

Ok, so I have a surface 2x58 5ft modular fluorescent fitting. Changed both tubes and starters. Each tube has their own ballast. One tube is running fine, however the other one flickers, goes on for around 20 secs then goes off...then the starter keeps on trying to fire up. When I pull the starter out when the tube is lit, it stays lit...

Bemused.

 

[DurhamSparky]

change starter again...!!

how old are the fittings??? maybe teh ballast is on way out also..!

 

[aes2011]

The fitting is no more than three years old. I've used the other starter that works fine with other tube and same problem...

 

[Specialist]

As Durham said replace the new starter & see what happens, not uncommon to have a starter Duff straight out of the box.

 

[Marvo]

If you've got a 2 tube fitting with 2 separate ballasts it should be easy enough to just swap parts from one side to the other and figure out which component is causing the problem.

If it's in an awkward location or needs access equipment to get to it I would just replace the complete fitting. Nothing worse than needing to re-erect scaffold for an intermittent problem.

 

[DurhamSparky]

as marvo said... be easier and cheaper in long run...! some times ballasts dont last 2 years in lights and cost 3x the cost of the fitting!¬

 

[delko]

Try swapping the tubes.Sometimes you can get a faulty tube.

 

[hermetic]

This is a current flow problem, are you using electronic starters or standard (cheap) ones? There is insuficient current flowing to hold the starter in the o/c position, which means, if you have swapped the tubes over, and swapped the starters over, and the fault remains, the ballast is faulty. I have often found that this fault can be caused by loose spring clips on the push in type wiring connections on the fittings, especially at the ballast where it gets hot. modern fittings are CR*P.

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Sounds like the starter is tired or not the correct value for the size of tube/ballast combination.

"When I pull the starter out when the tube is lit, it stays lit..." this indicates that the ballast is able to limit the current and maintain ionization. So shorted turns on the ballast choke is unlikely.

Most likely then that the RFI suppression capacitor across the starter contacts is breaking-down/leaky bleeding off sufficient current to quench the ionisation.

 

[delko]

Yes.Markie Sparkie is right.Definitely is the capacitor.Come across that problem quit often.

 

[Andy78]

18 month old thread mate. Check before posting.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

The fitting is no more than three years old. I've used the other starter that works fine with other tube and same problem...

whats this got to do with owt?