Is there another way of checking out if fluorescent bulbs are burned out besides using a light fixture?

Answer 1

Look at the bulbs. If the bulb appears to be very dark near either end the bulb is defective or close to failure.

There is an electrode located inside each end of a fluorescent tube. Each has two visible pins which fit into the mounting sockets on either end of the fixture. By testing across these pins you can determine whether or not the electrodes are intact. Electrically speaking, if there is continuity across the pins, the electrode should be working.

However, even if the electrodes are intact the bulb may not light. This can occur if some or all of the gas has leaked from the bulb. There;s no practical way to test for that. Also, there may be a slight short in the electrodes that gives you a positive reading but the electrode is in fact bad.

The most reliable way to test a fluorescent bulb is to install it into a known working fixture. If you are troubleshooting a 4-tube fluorescent fixture, this is easy. Just remove one of the still-working pair of fluorescent tubes and replace it with each of the questionable tubes, one at a time. 99% of the time it will be one of the tubes that is the culprit.

Answer 2

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Is there another way of checking out if fluorescent bulbs are burned out besides using a light fixture?

Answer 3

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You should have nothing to fear because fluorescent light bulbs are cool to the touch. The reason for this and there energy savings is they are much more efficient at converting electricity into light. This being said I will not hurt you to check up on the light the first couple of days after you install the bulb. Just for peace of mind.

Answer 4

John Himself is correct. There is no way to check a flourescent bulb other than putting it in a light fixture and applying power.

In my job I periodically change out flourescent bulbs. If one end or the other is blackened or dark it's burned out.

Answer 5

the best way would be to use either continuity tester or ohmmeter.if the led lights on in continuity tester or it shows resistance value other than 0 in ohmmeter, the fluorescect bulb is good. Also as a visual inspection, check if the bulb is highly dark that would tell you the story too.

Answer 6

No there is not. Only by applying the correct starting and run voltage can you tell if they are good or not. The black ends for a few inches is an indication they are on the way out, if not already bad like Pete said.

Answer 7

Without applied voltage I don't know of any reliable way except checking the tube ends for blackening this usually suggests its close to failure or has failed.

Answer 8

No -- fluorescent bulbs are much, much cooler than incandescent.

Answer 9

If you have a continuity meter use it to see if you have continuity between the pins on both ends,

Answer 10

OHm Meter will tell the story