HO Flourescent Lights

Jeff NWOH · Feb 7, 2009

Here's the scoop. I've got HO 8' lights in my garage and shop (heated and unheated halves). Never had an issue w/ the garage lights or in the heated shop. The unheated shop is confusing the heck out of me though.

Ocasionally when it's real cold I have one or two that won't light. Ends of the bulbs glow but no light. Flick the switch once or twice and they usually go, but not always. Could assume I got a couple duds?

Now the part that confuses me(don't take much). Today I need some light and its 45 deg out, maybe a little cooler in the barn but not cold and only 1 of 6 will light. The other 5 have bulbs glowing orange on the ends. Played w/ the switch and finally got 3 to go after about 15 attempts. I had the same problem a few weeks back when we had a little warmup like this.

Any ideas?

RickB · Feb 7, 2009

I have 12 8' HO's in my 5 year old unheated building. I have noticed that exact type of thing for the first time this year. Different units will be affected at different instances. I'm not sure what the cause is either.

Bob · Feb 7, 2009

How about installing some alternate incandescent or halogen lighting to use on the cold days, to make it easier on the fluorescents?

When the flourescent lamps only pre-heat and don't ignite on the cold days, you are probably damaging the lamps and/or ballasts to the point they won't light even in milder weather.

Janicholson · Feb 7, 2009

Bob is correct, the Mercury vapor will not be dense enough in cold conditions to conduct electrons even with the warmth of the filiments in the ends warming it. These electrons (when the lamp is on) excite the mercury to higher energy states. When they return to a base line energy, they give off UV radiation which hits the florescent material lining the tube (white stuff)which then excites. When it returns to base line energy, these Phosphors give off visible light. JimN

Philip Doolittle · Feb 7, 2009

The Ballast is a regulator/transformer which puts out a surge(voltage spike) to initate the arc inside the bulb. It also lights the filaments so that they give off electrons to carry the arc. With that said the temperature(cold)air does not start the arc because #1 bulb cold #2 filament cold #3 ballast windings and capacitor cold. Why it sometimes lighs when you flick the switch is you are getting the lamp trying to start on one of the voltage spikes. Also MOISTURE/frost in unheated areas shunts off some of the energy from the bulbs when they are starting to arc. Solutions include using a LOW temperature Ballast (more$),wiping off the fixture and lamp with a clean dry cloth putting in a new Bulb preferably cool white mfg by a GOOD mfgr,and making sure the voltage is 120 volts not 110 on your circuit or 240 not 220 on that voltage ballasts.Leaving the lamps turned on when they don't light ages the lamps(black tinted ends) AND WILL burn out the ballast!!. Possibly a fire starter. MOST flourscent fixtures should be mounted with Air around the fixture and not flush mounted or enclosed. Hope this helps. God Bless America

Gary from Muleshoe · Feb 7, 2009

You can get T-12 fluorescents that work in the cold. Also you switch to the T-8 ballast and bulbs and your problem will go away.

KEB1 · Feb 7, 2009

The right fix is low temperature ballasts, although it may be cheaper to simply replace the fixtures with ones having a low temp ballast than trying to buy new ballasts separately. A standard ballast is only rated down to 40 or 50 degrees. I just installed a couple T-8 lamps in my unheated shop that are rated to zero degrees. No problems so far, and it gets pretty cold here in Colorado. If its zero in the shop, I'm not going to be there.

Keith

Jeff NWOH · Feb 7, 2009

Maybe I was unclear in my original post, but I do have HO cold start 2 pin lamps & ballasts.

May be a humidity/condensation though I haven't opened the overhead door and nothing is sweating inside.

The issue I find puzzling is that they actually worked better when it was colder and the same lights in my other unheated building work fine.

Janicholson · Feb 7, 2009

Wipe down a few of the tubes to reduce the possible moisture, then reinstall to see if they take off. The condensation point in any room depends on the moisture content in the air, and temperature. JimN

buickanddeere · Feb 7, 2009

The capacitor and ballast work better in cold weather.

GordoSD · Feb 7, 2009

I installed the cold weather 8 foot lamp assemblies, and bulbs on my shop. when I built it 8 years ago.There's 12 of them, 24 bulbs. Wasn't a cheap install. All 24 come on as fast as an incadescent bulb, instant sunburn time, and have been doing it 3-5 times a day for 8 years.Normal temp is 40 degrees in the winter until I jack up the Reznor hanging from the ceiling.
It's an installer error, or matchup problem.

Gordo

Anonymous-0 · Feb 7, 2009

they will most likely start working as the temp warms up.

RickB · Feb 7, 2009

"It's an installer error, or matchup problem.
Gordo "

Not if they worked fine for four winters as mine have until this year.

Larry D. · Feb 7, 2009

I'm Glad You Guys started this Topic, As I have the Four Ft. Florescent Two Bulb type, in My Basement that never gets very Cold, winter and summer...I have replaced the Bulbs just a while back and now one of the Bulbs in One light is out, and I NEVER Burn them but rarely, is it because they are turned on INTERMITENTLY and then Off, or what, they are definately not burned out from use, I just don't get it! Larry

Anonymous-0 · Feb 7, 2009

I have the same trouble. They light better in colder weather.

I'm switching everything to CFL's. They come on dim in cold wx, but brighten up pretty quick.

Paul

RWK in WI · Feb 8, 2009

In my unheated shed and sometimes in the heated once in a while shop I have had problems with corrosion on the bulb pins and the socket contacts. Cleaning the surfaces made thing better for a while.

HO Flourescent Lights

Jeff NWOH

Member

RickB

Well-known Member

Bob

Well-known Member

Janicholson

Well-known Member

Philip Doolittle

Member

Gary from Muleshoe

Well-known Member

KEB1

Member

Jeff NWOH

Member

Janicholson

Well-known Member

buickanddeere

Well-known Member

GordoSD

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

RickB

Well-known Member

Larry D.

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

RWK in WI

Member

Similar threads