2006-10-19 14:30:07 · 9 answers · asked by Lois d 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Check the wattage on the ballast. Its not the little ceramic or plastic things the lights fit into. Those are called tombstones. After you remove the light tubes pull off the metal cover in the middle and look at the ballast. It will say how many bulbs it will light and what wattage bulbs. The real cheapo fixtures usually have 25 watt light tubes where the standard wattage is 40 or 35 for a watt miser bulb. If you put a 40 watt bulb in a 25 watt ballast they will not be very bright. And look at the wattage on the bulbs. It will be printed near the end. Usually when fluorescent bulbs go bad the end of the bulbs will look black. It could very well be that your ballast is going bad and needs to be replaced. Its not hard to do just make sure you get the same type of ballast which should be about 6 or 7 inches long and a couple of inches wide 120 volts.
2006-10-19 16:08:58 · answer #1 · answered by Captleemo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This may or may not be a matter of perspective, but as far as I know it may only appear like that to you because you've been used to seeing light put out from incandescent lights for so long. You may 'warm up' to the light output of fluorescents over time. I believe the color difference is due to the gases inside fluorescent tubes. I think incandescent lights appear much warmer in color temperature, where fluorescents appear much whiter. In the end I'm all for fluorescent lights - once they release mercury-free (HG) versions. I don't like the extremely high heat output of halogen bulbs and don't like the inefficiency of incandescent bulbs. Since when is a lower electricity bill a bad thing?
2016-05-22 03:42:05 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the area is cold. That makes fluorescents light more dimly. Give them a few minutes to warm up.
2006-10-19 14:32:51 · answer #3 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
could be the ballast. (a transformer you will find hidden under a piece of metal at the top) you will need a new one and some wire nutsand a wire cutter.
p.s. make sure the power is off before changing
p.p.s. make sure you get the right ballast (look on the old one for t8 r t 12)
2006-10-19 15:51:47 · answer #4 · answered by specal k 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Could be cold. Takes a while for flourescents to warmup.
HOWEVER, I think probable cause is that you used a different bulb. There are several different bulbs (same wattage) such as interior, daylight, etc. ALL are not of equal brightness to our eyes.
2006-10-19 14:37:25 · answer #5 · answered by f100_supersabre 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Also,I find the new tubes with the green ends do not appear to be as bright as the old ones.
2006-10-20 00:05:19 · answer #6 · answered by sircaulksalot 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be the ballasts ( the little ceramic holders at either end of the lights). You can replace them just like you can the lights themselves.
2006-10-19 14:34:37 · answer #7 · answered by perelandra 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Did you make sure that they are twisted all the way, I had that prob. once before and that was the problem
2006-10-19 15:18:14 · answer #8 · answered by Mrbigjohnson 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
make sure the pins are completely seated in the tombstones(sockets)
2006-10-20 16:22:04 · answer #9 · answered by daniel s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋