Fluorescent tube light not working (solved)

[hubner]

The 150mm long fluorescent tube light in the kitchen has stopped working, when switched on there's a humming noise and the tube ends glow.

New tube fitted and it's the same. I can't see a starter anywhere, is it something to do with the fixture?

[Diver300]

The 150mm long fluorescent tube light in the kitchen has stopped working, when switched on there's a humming noise and the tube ends glow.

New tube fitted and it's the same. I can't see a starter anywhere, is it something to do with the fixture?

It's the starter. Classic symptoms of the starter not working.

Some starters are fitted inside the fitting, and therefore more difficult to get to than the tube.

[Kim]

This might be an opportunity to upgrade to an LED fixture...

[Hot Flatus]

This might be an opportunity to upgrade to an LED fixture...

My thought exactly.

They are cheap, easy to fit, and use less energy.

[Kim]

This might be an opportunity to upgrade to an LED fixture...

My thought exactly.

They are cheap, easy to fit, and use less energy.

The trick is, of course, avoiding the ones that flicker like a bastard.

[rogerzilla]

Or the Chinese shite that craps out after a few weeks.

[T42]

There's putative Chinese shite on my office ceiling right now: 2-tube unit whereof 1¼ tubes don't work.  Well, the ¼ works occasionally.

[Quisling]

This might be an opportunity to upgrade to an LED fixture...

It seems like an opportune time, given that fluorescent tubes are being phased out from 1/9/2023 under the RoHS directive to remove items containing mercury from sale.  If the luminaire is still tidy then you may be able to purchase a drop-in LED tube replacement, though this is a minefield of different end fittings etc so it may be easier to replace the whole lot.

[Diver300]

This might be an opportunity to upgrade to an LED fixture...

It seems like an opportune time, given that fluorescent tubes are being phased out from 1/9/2023 under the RoHS directive to remove items containing mercury from sale.  If the luminaire is still tidy then you may be able to purchase a drop-in LED tube replacement, though this is a minefield of different end fittings etc so it may be easier to replace the whole lot.

Many LED replacements for fluorescent tubes need modifications to the internal wiring.

The original problem appears to be a shorted starter. If that is the case, an LED replacement will almost certainly need the starter removing.

[Diver300]

Or the Chinese shite that craps out after a few weeks.

I had that from Screwfix.

[Diver300]

This might be an opportunity to upgrade to an LED fixture...

My thought exactly.

They are cheap, easy to fit, and use less energy.

The trick is, of course, avoiding the ones that flicker like a bastard.

In some ways it is impressive that they make some LED ones flicker more than traditional fluorescent tubes.

[hubner]

The 150mm long fluorescent tube light in the kitchen has stopped working, when switched on there's a humming noise and the tube ends glow.

New tube fitted and it's the same. I can't see a starter anywhere, is it something to do with the fixture?

It's the starter. Classic symptoms of the starter not working.

Some starters are fitted inside the fitting, and therefore more difficult to get to than the tube.

Thanks. I found the starter, on the outside of fixture, I wasn't really looking before. Now I need to go and get a new one.

[rafletcher]

I'd still look at replacement LED tubes - you don't need the full fixture. And to counter the "chinese crap" mentions the 2 in my shed have been fine for the last 4 years, operated off a PIR sensor over the door.  They also have the advantage of instant light.

I bought mine from one of the specialist retailers as opposed to Screwfix or Toolstation tho' I can't recall who.

[Diver300]

The 150mm long fluorescent tube light in the kitchen has stopped working, when switched on there's a humming noise and the tube ends glow.

New tube fitted and it's the same. I can't see a starter anywhere, is it something to do with the fixture?

It's the starter. Classic symptoms of the starter not working.

Some starters are fitted inside the fitting, and therefore more difficult to get to than the tube.

Thanks. I found the starter, on the outside of fixture, I wasn't really looking before. Now I need to go and get a new one.

If the fault is what I think, try this. Turn on the lamp, so it glows at both ends. Then unplug the starter. If the tube lights at that point, the fault is absolutely, definitely in the starter.

(Standard fluorescent tubes will continue running with if the starter is removed while they are illuminated. Small ones or already warmed up ones will often light without at starter there at all)

BTW, I recommend the electronic starters, although they are less readily available than they used to be. The old glow starters are really cheap but not improved since the 1960s. I guess it's a race to the bottom as usual.

edit - these are available:- https://www.tabelek.co.uk/product-300C-fastlux-electronic-fluorescent-tube-starter.php

[Quisling]

This might be an opportunity to upgrade to an LED fixture...

My thought exactly.

They are cheap, easy to fit, and use less energy.

To put some numbers around this, a typical T8 (1" diameter) swtichstart fluorescent fitting uses at least 58W for the tube and maybe another 10% for the ballast.  A 1500mm LED of equivalent lumen output is in the order of 25W

Let's assume 30W saving, and the light runs for 1 hour a day, so 365x25/1000 = 10.95 kWh saving/year.
At 35p/kWh that's around £3.83 a year saving in energy cost at approximate current tariffs, and around 2.3 kg CO2e avoided emissions.

[hubner]

The current tube probably still works and now there's a second one, I think it's better to use them up before changing to LED. The biggest concern I have with fluorescent tubes is the mercury, it's bizarre how they were ever legal never mind that they're still legal.

I presume to fit fit LED tubes, you need to fit new a fixture. Which is a lot more complicated than pushing in a new tube.

[Kim]

I presume to fit fit LED tubes, you need to fit new a fixture. Which is a lot more complicated than pushing in a new tube.

You can get LED retrofits which fit in the existing tube holders.  They usually need you to disconnect the ballast and starter from the fixture and wire the power straight through to the terminals, which isn't particularly difficult, but a bit more involved than changing a tube.  Much easier than re-painting a ceiling, thobut.

[rafletcher]

These (and other) do tube compatible with the existing fixtures and require no mods, just a tube swap. That’s what I used.

https://viribright.com/pages/led-tubes-ultimate-guide-to-replacing-cfl-tube-lights#:~:text=These%20LED%20tubes%20are%20the,LED%20tube%20in%20its%20place.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Yes, makes sense to use up the current stock then switch. As with most things.

[hubner]

I got a starter for 99p, the light's working now.

[fruitcake]

After seeing a friend's kitchen worktop lighting, I can say that the LED tape strip that you stick to the underside of cupboards is bl**dy incredible. Remarkably bright, excellent coverage. Needs no light fitting as the tape is the light, but does need a mains socket for the 'wall wart' transformer.

[Kim]

Yeah, the lighting in our kitchen (a single landlord-issue pendant in the middle of the ceiling and a smartbulb inna holder screwed to a Mk 1 Bit Of Wood on top of the fridge) has been greatly enhanced by some of that.  I even found a suitable wall-wart in the box of random power supplies.

[De Sisti]

After seeing a friend's kitchen worktop lighting, I can say that the LED tape strip that you stick to the underside of cupboards is bl**dy incredible. Remarkably bright, excellent coverage. Needs no light fitting as the tape is the light, but does need a mains socket for the 'wall wart' transformer.

Like this?