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Will_D

Apart from starting with a working 2' T18 batten fitting and substituting the tubes and the starters are there any other ways to test these quickly.

Currently I have removed 86 tubes and starters from the 2 by 2 T18 fittings ( 4 Tubes, 4 starters only 2 chokes )!!

As these are about 6 years old hopefully the main failures will be the tubes, then the starters and hopefully not too many chokes

Will Davis (MRFC)
 
I quite agree in the normal run of the world!

BUT:

Time is money: The club has no money and I have all the time ( free of charge to the club )

Have found about 5% with no discolouration!

On testing most of the starters have failed as well!

Thanks for the reply

Will MRFC
 
I know this might need to be moved to the products forum, but:

Has any one started to fit the LED replacement fluoescent tubes?

After googling/ebaying a lot of Chinese makers ( no pricing ) found at least 1 Uk supplier who is quoting about €210 a dozen for 8 watt 600 mm T18 replacements.

My best price here in Dublin for the old T18s is €2 per tube plus 50c for the starters and what with a 5x life and half the power consumption its tempting to dip an eco toe in the water.

Any one got some prices/suppliers/comments

We have about 120 tubes to consider!!!

Cheers

Will MRFC
 
I know this might need to be moved to the products forum, but:

Has any one started to fit the LED replacement fluoescent tubes?

After googling/ebaying a lot of Chinese makers ( no pricing ) found at least 1 Uk supplier who is quoting about €210 a dozen for 8 watt 600 mm T18 replacements.

My best price here in Dublin for the old T18s is €2 per tube plus 50c for the starters and what with a 5x life and half the power consumption its tempting to dip an eco toe in the water.

Any one got some prices/suppliers/comments

We have about 120 tubes to consider!!!

Cheers

Will MRFC
Remember there are other costs involved, due to the additional labour required to modify the fluorescent fittings to a greater or lesser extent in order to fit LED T8s. Most fluorescent fittings with high frequency control gear require the complete removal of the control gear, and in some cases this is also required with low frequency electro-magnetic control gear, plus the additional rewiring of the fitting. There may also be a potential electric shock hazard in some cases when removing or replacing a lamp, which may arise from touching live pins on the lamp end caps.
http://www.esc.org.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/industry/SwitchedOn-25-Locked_2.pdf
 
LAst year a neighbour replaced some 3' tubes with LED versions - don't recall what he paid except it was a lot, but those prices will be out of date now anyway. I had to disconnect all the innards of the fittings for him, as Markie says, and rewire to suit the LEDs, but the end result was a perfectly acceptable light source. Given that fluorescent tubes are (relatively) low-energy in the first place, I don't think you'll see as good savings as replacing halogens.

PJ
 
Thanks for those thoughts guys. Knew about the need to mod the wiring but had not thought about someone down the line fitting a fluorescent tube. !!

All in all I will keep it simple (KISS works evety time for me Dooh!)

Cheers

Will
 
Was thrown when the op mentioned T 18 tubes, are these in fact T 8's?
For 40 p per starter i'd change them all, then if cash is tight, move the original tubes into the same fittings so you get the same colour temp then put new tubes in the rest of the fittings.
 
Was thrown when the op mentioned T 18 tubes, are these in fact T 8's?
For 40 p per starter i'd change them all, then if cash is tight, move the original tubes into the same fittings so you get the same colour temp then put new tubes in the rest of the fittings.

The tubes are T18s according to the tubes; 2' long and rated at 18W
and yes ALL the starters that I've tested are DEAD

Any ways update to the saga:

Got 50 new tubes and 50 new starters.

Drag out the steps and we are in buisness! First fitting; The emergency light variant: 4 new tubes, 4 new starters:

Result diddly squat! Nowt! Nothing!

OK, the Emerergency lights must be complicated so try a simple one ( These are 2 * 2, 2' fittings - there's the clue !! )

So, next fitting the simple one; No EMLC, 4 new tubes, 4 new starters. result Nowt.

After much head scratching tried a few of the old failed starters. These had gone short circuit so were acting like the old press and release method before the hot starters were invented. Lo and behold the light!

So great news! The chokes are good and so are the tubes!

Then I decided to trace the wires: Simples 2 tubes in series Hmmm

Phone call to supplier: Is it possible I've got 50 220V starters as opposed to 50 110V starters (like what Uncle Sam would use)

Oh B***er says supplier come and get the corrcet ones

So now all is working!

Cheers

Will
 
Did you get FS2's??...

Gone are the days of 100s of different type of starters lol...just FS2, FSU and FS125 basically now thankfully...





Sent from my Xperia S using next doors WIFI.

yeah got to get the right starters most 2' 4 way fittings are series and require s2 starters s for series
 
Dont I know it! Luckily suplier was only a mile or 1nabit Km away so no problem.

Will check out the codes on the starters to help any-one else>

BTW: Got interested in a Sparky forum from a post on our brewing site Beoir - Supporting Craft Beer in Ireland ( This will test if I can at last post a link - sorry being a test engineer can't resist testing systems )

Beoir is all about craft beer and home brewing - a lot of our members are doers/workers/engineers i.e. real people!

Also most working sparks/plumbers etc of a certain age play sport - if you do get in touch as we do welcome touring teams!

Check us out ( MRFC : MALAHIDE RUGBY CLUB)


Cheers Will
 
Remember there are other costs involved, due to the additional labour required to modify the fluorescent fittings to a greater or lesser extent in order to fit LED T8s. Most fluorescent fittings with high frequency control gear require the complete removal of the control gear, and in some cases this is also required with low frequency electro-magnetic control gear, plus the additional rewiring of the fitting. There may also be a potential electric shock hazard in some cases when removing or replacing a lamp, which may arise from touching live pins on the lamp end caps.
http://www.esc.org.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/industry/SwitchedOn-25-Locked_2.pdf


Thanks markie Page 16 of that link was interesting
 

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