Fluorescent light fixture question

From: Asimov (Asimov_at_-removethis-bbs.juxtaposition.dynip.com)
Date: 07/05/04 

Date: Monday, 05 Jul 2004 10:35:06 -500

"grooks@comcast.net" bravely wrote to "All" (04 Jul 04 22:23:26)
 --- on the heady topic of "Fluorescent light fixture question"

 gr> From: grooks@comcast.net

 gr> I have a 2 bulb, 48", Fluorescent light fixture.
 gr> 90% of the time when I turn the switch on, it does not start.
 gr> There is a little flickering in the end of the bulb.
 gr> I turn the switch to off and back immediately turn it back on and it
 gr> lights.
 gr> My first guess was the ballast. It is a type "P". so I put in a new
 gr> ballast, rapid start, and two new bulbs. No change.

 gr> Any ideas ? I'm al out.

My guess is it was wired with the wrong polarity. As you might guess,
the high voltage terminal of the ballast winding must end up on the
outside. If it ends up on the inside it is right next to the metal
core and the voltage doesn't build up high enough, perhaps due to the
wrong amount of stray capacitance. The wiring diagram in the fixture
will show the proper connections to make. However, the house wiring in
that circuit may have the wrong polarity. It doesn't matter for
ordinary lamps but it often does for fluorescent lamps, as these have
a hard time starting if wired with the wrong AC line phase.

 A*s*i*m*o*v

... Email returned to sender -- insufficient voltage.

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