what is the common causes of fluorescent lights flickering. Oh and where would I buy the ballast if I needed?

Answer 1

your bulbs are probably weak

buy new bulbs and try them. If they still wont light replace the ballast

Your local home improvement store should have a replacement ballast

Answer 2

It sounds to me it could be the fluorescent bulb a bad one. If the light fixture has more than one bulb one bulb can make the other flicker. If your ballast is out the light will not come on at all. Sometime when the ballast goes out it will smell like wire burning. Most places like Lowes or electrical stores will have ballast.

Answer 3

Flickering lights are generally a bad bulb. If you need to replace the ballast, check the price of a new fixture - many times the cost of a new fixture is less than the cost of a ballast.

Answer 4

This is a simple solution that will lengthen the life of a florescent bulb.

Remove the bulb and take a slightly damp cloth and wipe the entire length of the bulb clean. Let dry and reinstall. Usually this works quite well. Of course if they have a black band around the end, you might as well change it.

My Husbands Uncle is and electrician and recommended this clue many years ago and I have gotten lots of extra mileage out of the bulbs since then.

Apparently the dirt or as in the kitchen greasiness can hamper the electric flow some how. (I have no Idea how), it just works.

Answer 5

A Flickering bulb usually mean the bulb is going bad.
If all bulbs are dead, it usually means ballast is shot.
Ballasts are available at the big hardware stores - Lowes and Home Depot.

Answer 6

Cold temperature, failing bulbs, bad ballast, in that order. Buy a new ballast at any electrical supply house. Or on-line.