HomeBrew2
Banned
Any chance you could try a dielectric grease on some of the other lamp holder contacts? ... (I have never been able to get any tube lights to work in my shop so I have great interest in your solution)
I Need Electrical Help!
- Thread starter Bird
- Start date
OP
Bird
Epic Contributor
I have no idea whether the dielectric grease would help or not. In fact, I don't think I've ever used any of it on anything. I couldn't see anyway to tighten the contacts in the old lamp holders without taking them apart, but I'm probably going to try that. The back side has cardboard insulation that's held in place by one big staple in the middle. I'm not sure whether I can remove that staple, then put it back later or not. But that's the only thing I can see wrong with the lamp holders. Fifty years ago, in my dad's service station, I've changed starters and tubes in lights, I changed one ballast in my home in the early '70s, and otherwise it's just been changing tubes is all I've done. I had one cheap 4' double tube fluorescent with a pull chain switch over the workbench in my shop in the country and it never gave me any trouble at all.
HomeBrew2
Banned
Well, any grease would do for an experiment.
I KNOW, none of my dad's shop's lights had any of these goofy probs when I was a kid. It is so bad that my neighbor and I ripped out our 4' fixtures and stapled up those cheap outdoor pole lights that have the 3 "U" shaped CF bulbs ... they work first time - every time ... look like crap though
I KNOW, none of my dad's shop's lights had any of these goofy probs when I was a kid. It is so bad that my neighbor and I ripped out our 4' fixtures and stapled up those cheap outdoor pole lights that have the 3 "U" shaped CF bulbs ... they work first time - every time ... look like crap though
OP
Bird
Epic Contributor
Well, I've turned the lights on and off several times, and right now all 4 of the north bank come on and 3 of the south bank. The one with the new lamp holders comes on fastest every time. The one that doesn't come on will flicker and eventually sometimes come of full after awhile. I just got through taking 3 of the old lamp holders apart, bent the contacts to make them tight, and put them back together. Tomorrow, if nothing interferes, I'll try just "fixing" the existing lamp holders and see it that works as well as putting in new ones.
OP
Bird
Epic Contributor
Yep, I finally got it figured out; it's definitely gremlins. I went ahead last night and changed out the lamp holders in a fixture that's only been flickering. Of course instead of new lamp holders, I used ones I had taken apart, "fixed", and put back together. When I got through, I turned on the switch and everything worked great except the one fixture I had just worked on; neither tube in that one even flickered. So I quit for the night and figured I'd go get new lamp holders today. First thing this morning, I went into the shop and turned on the lights and every one of them worked just fine! So I didn't mess with the lights today, but since I did mow a couple of yards, and I changed the spark plug, sharpened the blade, changed the oil, etc. in my daughter's lawnmower, I've been in and out of the shop numerous times today and turned all the lights on and off at least 8 or 10 times, and they were all working properly every time.
I went ahead last night and changed out the lamp holders in a fixture that's only been flickering. Of course instead of new lamp holders, I used ones I had taken apart, "fixed", and put back together. When I got through, I turned on the switch and everything worked great except the one fixture I had just worked on; neither tube in that one even flickered. So I quit for the night and figured I'd go get new lamp holders today. First thing this morning, I went into the shop and turned on the lights and every one of them worked just fine! So I didn't mess with the lights today, but since I did mow a couple of yards, and I changed the spark plug, sharpened the blade, changed the oil, etc. in my daughter's lawnmower, I've been in and out of the shop numerous times today and turned all the lights on and off at least 8 or 10 times, and they were all working properly every time.
HomeBrew2
Banned
If anything like my experience, you'll be fine till it turns cold. HOPEFULLY, your experience will be much better than mine.
George2615
Super Member
Glad to hear you got the gremlins all worked out.
mwechtal
Silver Member
Bird,
I believe you said earlier you have rapid start ballasts and 4 pin tubes. These things REQUIRE the reflector to be grounded and to be closer to the tube than the old style tubes/ballasts/starter systems. It's a capacitance thing. You might want to be sure the reflectors are grounded if touching the tube will start it (your body supplies the needed capacitance). On the other hand, it sounds like new lamp holders fixed the one fixture. Were they, by any chance, shorter than the old ones?
Dielectric grease is an insulator, and I'm pretty sure it's going to make the problem worse.
Mike
I believe you said earlier you have rapid start ballasts and 4 pin tubes. These things REQUIRE the reflector to be grounded and to be closer to the tube than the old style tubes/ballasts/starter systems. It's a capacitance thing. You might want to be sure the reflectors are grounded if touching the tube will start it (your body supplies the needed capacitance). On the other hand, it sounds like new lamp holders fixed the one fixture. Were they, by any chance, shorter than the old ones?
Dielectric grease is an insulator, and I'm pretty sure it's going to make the problem worse.
Mike
OP
Bird
Epic Contributor
Mike, for a couple of days, and at least a dozen times of turning the lights on and off, every one of them worked fine. Then 3 of them (2 on one switch and one on the other) occasionally fail to come on. After several minutes they might come on, or might not. So this morning, I picked up enough new lamp holders to change out 3 more fixtures, but I haven't done it yet. I've been in and out of the shop and turned the lights on and off 4 or 5 times today and they're all working fine. So I'll probably be changing some more lamp holders in the near future. And are the new lamp holders shorter than the old ones? Nope, same length.
So I'll probably be changing some more lamp holders in the near future. And are the new lamp holders shorter than the old ones? Nope, same length.