# Fluorescent lights don't seem to last



## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

preciouschristy said:


> is it normal for fluorescent tubes to burn out that fast?
> ...(ie.* they're turned on and off a lot*).


how many of these on/off cycles per day?


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## dmxtothemax (Oct 26, 2010)

I have always been told that floros dont like being switched on and off
frequently!
Instead they are ideally suited for applications were they are on
for extended periods, or continually.
Rather then frequent on off cycles.

So this could have something to do with there short life !
other things like cold weather can play a part also.

Even high voltage can shorten life,
but it would have to be significant,
a small increase would not be signiicant for a floro.
as it would for an incandesant.


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## preciouschristy (Jun 14, 2009)

Typical garage use- the laundry is in the garage, as well as our yard tools, so probably several times a week. I don't like leaving the lights on when I'm not in the room, but do you think that would alleviate the problem? Even if I changed the fixtures to regular socket-type fixtures, the future seems to be forcing everyone to go CFL anyway, so I'm not sure that would help things.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

CFL's are nothing but florescent bulbs, with a built in ballast. Nothing new to the technology. As for the tube bulbs going out, where are you getting them? I usually will buy a case pack when they are on sale, and mark the bad tubes when I place them in the box, after I take a good one out. Once full, take to a disposal center to get rid of.

I have not had to replace bulbs in over a year, possibly due to went out and bough some good bulbs at the local Menard's, due to cheap ones from the Lowe's.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

I am guessing that turning on and off twice a day on average should not result in a "short" life. Except that I am led to believe that each turn on in low temperature puts more wear and tear on the fluorescent tubes the lower the temperature goes.

To get the fluorescent lamp started, electricity has to jump the length of the tube. The electrodes at each end are coated with a material that makes it easier to make the jump, but the material deterioriates a little with each start.


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## preciouschristy (Jun 14, 2009)

So it sounds like it's because I bought cheap bulbs? The tubes were about $25 for a 10-pack. I'll look around and see if I can find better tubes than the Philips.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

I only use Sylvania bulbs. $2.50 a bulb is pretty cheap. And yes, you can get a bad batch of bulbs, and depending on the fixture, the ballasts can also be culprit in why the bulbs are going out so quickly.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Can you open a fixture and tell us what the ballast say? It's very possible you are using the wrong bulbs. Most of those cheap fixtures use T 12 lamps.


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm going to posit that if you've gone through a whole carton of tubes in less than a year that your problem is not crappy tubes, but either the ballasts or your electrical system.

The bulbs should last longer than that. If these are the Lithonia T8 8' of 4' units, I can state with some confidence that they have pretty lousy ballasts in them. That's how they are able to sell the lights for $19 a pop, as the ballast is 98% of the manufacturing cost of these things.

I would try replacing the ballast in one of the units with a quality ballast and see how things far with that unit against the others. Time will let you know if you've found your culprit.


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## preciouschristy (Jun 14, 2009)

I'm using the right size bulb- 

I was thinking that- is it actually worth changing the ballast? Or should I change out the whole fixture. Admittedly, I'm not looking forward to changing out the fixtures, they weren't a lot of fun to install in the first place, but it doesn't seem like changing the ballast would be much easier.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

preciouschristy said:


> I'm using the right size bulb-
> 
> I was thinking that- is it actually worth changing the ballast? Or should I change out the whole fixture. Admittedly, I'm not looking forward to changing out the fixtures, they weren't a lot of fun to install in the first place, but it doesn't seem like changing the ballast would be much easier.


Did that fixture come with bulbs? Tell me how you know it's the correct bulb.


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## preciouschristy (Jun 14, 2009)

Well, the box and installation instructions said it took T8s, and it doesn't look to me like T12's would fit anyway (it's a skinny fixture). The ballast is pretty inaccessible, so I don't really want to disassemble the whole fixture to get to it, if I don't have to.

I realize that there's a possibility that they put the wrong ballast in, but on three of them? Bought a few months apart? Seems unlikely.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

OK. The bulbs are correct. There are a few things that shorten bulb life. Most often it's the bulb improperly installed; not twisted in properly. Another thing that creates problems is a poor ground. Since your fixtures are fairly new I doubt the tombstones are bad. Improper voltage is a concern, but not usually an issue. Bulb life is greatly reduced by excessive cycling. (off / on / off / on). And as already mentioned the fixture uses an inexpensive ballast. T-8 lamps have a life expectancy of 20,000 to 30,000 hours. Cheap fixtures are probably the culprit since it's on all fixtures.


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## Julius793 (Dec 13, 2011)

The problem is HD :laughing:


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

preciouschristy said:


> The fixtures are Lithonia $20 wrap-around 2-bulb fixtures
> The bulbs are Philips 32w T8 4-ft bulbs
> 
> 
> ...


 The issue is the cheap luminaires they will come with crappy ballast as well I have ran into like this many time I end up replace my customer cheap stuff and put in good qualinty one which I used all the time and all the issue went away due I use high qualunity I know they cost more on the luminaire itself but very little call back on them.

Merci,
Marc


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## preciouschristy (Jun 14, 2009)

Well, it sounds like the consensus is that I need better fixtures- which is what I was afraid of. I'll look for better- does anyone have a recommendation? Since it's just the garage, I didn't really want to spend extra money for decorative fixtures, and Home Depot and Lowes both have about the same type stuff. Not sure where else to look- but if anyone can recommend a better brand than Lithonia, it would be appreciated.

Thanks for all your input- :thumbsup:


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## busman (Nov 7, 2008)

This is a long shot, but if the OP lives in a cold climate, it's possible that the problem is not having cold start ballasts in the fixtures. I say this because the OP didn't say the tubes were dead, just that they were "dim".

Mark


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

preciouschristy said:


> Well, it sounds like the consensus is that I need better fixtures- which is what I was afraid of. I'll look for better- does anyone have a recommendation? Since it's just the garage, I didn't really want to spend extra money for decorative fixtures, and Home Depot and Lowes both have about the same type stuff. Not sure where else to look- but if anyone can recommend a better brand than Lithonia, it would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks for all your input- :thumbsup:


That is the thing. IT is for the garage, and you want the best fixtures in there, so that you are not climbing up on scaffolding or a ladder to change bulbs every six months or so. The ones we have in our basement, we got from Lowe's about 8 years ago, and have never had to replace ballasts in them, just bulbs maybe twice in the last eight years.


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## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

Get a fixture that says it will work in cold temperatures; usually indicates an electronic ballast not a magnetic one. Usually a bit more reliable IMO. I think Lowes has them for <$30.


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