Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Need help to fix light

  1. #1
    Gold Member Houses4Rent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    803
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked 56 Times in 52 Posts

    Need help to fix light

    I have a hand held 'stick' light to plug in 220V which stopped working. As an ex engineer I always try to fix things and failing this I want to know why it failed. Either the unusual 'tube' is blown or something else. I stripped it and found this little component which looks black/blown. It almost looks like mini bulb, but could be something else.
    I do not know what it is. Can that prevent the bulb to work? Can you help?
    Is there any way to check the bulb?
    There is no switch, wiring looks intact.Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Light 2.jpg 
Views:	369 
Size:	45.5 KB 
ID:	6853Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Light 1.jpg 
Views:	347 
Size:	85.3 KB 
ID:	6854
    Houses4Rent
    "We treat your investment as we treat our own"
    marc@houses4rent.co.za www.houses4rent.co.za
    083-3115551
    Global Residential Property Investor / Specialized Letting Agent & Property Manager

  2. #2
    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Johannesburg
    Posts
    3,480
    Thanks
    134
    Thanked 695 Times in 593 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1
    It looks like the inside of a fluorescent starter.
    It may seem that there is an element in the tube to heat the gas in order to get the tube lit.
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
    Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za

  3. #3
    Gold Member Houses4Rent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    803
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked 56 Times in 52 Posts
    Yes, I would expect something like a starter. The ones I know from normal light fittings look different though hence my question. Since its so dark/black I assume it blown. Where can one typically get those? I am in Southern Subs of Cape Town.
    Houses4Rent
    "We treat your investment as we treat our own"
    marc@houses4rent.co.za www.houses4rent.co.za
    083-3115551
    Global Residential Property Investor / Specialized Letting Agent & Property Manager

  4. #4
    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Johannesburg
    Posts
    3,480
    Thanks
    134
    Thanked 695 Times in 593 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1
    Take any florescence starter in the white tube and break it open and remove the glass tube and replace your one. Check if it works. Sometimes the starter contacts get burnt and do not work. In most cases the element is open circuit and hence does not work.

    Fluorescent starters are used in several types of fluorescent lights. The starter is there to help the lamp light. When voltage is applied to the fluorescent lamp, here's what happens:


    1. The starter (which is simply a timed switch) allows current to flow through the filaments at the ends of the tube.
    2. The current causes the starter's contacts to heat up and open, thus interrupting the flow of current. The tube lights.
    3. Since the lighted fluorescent tube has a low resistance, the ballast now serves as a current limiter.

    When you turn on a fluorescent tube, the starter is a closed switch. The filaments at the ends of the tube are heated by electricity, and they create a cloud of electrons inside the tube. The fluorescent starter is a time-delay switch that opens after a second or two. When it opens, the voltage across the tube allows a stream of electrons to flow across the tube and ionize the mercury vapor.

    Without the starter, a steady stream of electrons is never created between the two filaments, and the lamp flickers. Without the ballast, the arc is a short circuit between the filaments, and this short circuit contains a lot of current. The current either vaporizes the filaments or causes the bulb to explode.
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
    Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za

  5. Thanks given for this post:

    Houses4Rent (25-Aug-17)

  6. #5
    Gold Member Houses4Rent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    803
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked 56 Times in 52 Posts
    Thanks Justloadit, I thought the starter in a normal 1.2m or 1.5m light fitting is a separate component, but I will try to find an old tube and open it up and look for that little thing.

    I never really knew how a fluorescent works until now, i do not fully get above, but I have a better idea now.
    Houses4Rent
    "We treat your investment as we treat our own"
    marc@houses4rent.co.za www.houses4rent.co.za
    083-3115551
    Global Residential Property Investor / Specialized Letting Agent & Property Manager

  7. #6
    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Johannesburg
    Posts
    3,480
    Thanks
    134
    Thanked 695 Times in 593 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1
    Pop into this page How Fluorescent light works
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
    Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za

  8. #7
    Gold Member Houses4Rent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    803
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked 56 Times in 52 Posts
    Great, some weekend reading....
    Houses4Rent
    "We treat your investment as we treat our own"
    marc@houses4rent.co.za www.houses4rent.co.za
    083-3115551
    Global Residential Property Investor / Specialized Letting Agent & Property Manager

Similar Threads

  1. Emergency LED light - where to buy it
    By Loman in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 10-Jul-15, 03:53 PM
  2. [Question] Hi Bay Light Fittings
    By Martinco in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 24-Jan-13, 07:45 PM
  3. light fittings in a fridge
    By ians in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 14-Dec-12, 10:22 AM
  4. light fittings
    By murdock in forum Electrical Contracting Industry Forum
    Replies: 29
    Last Post: 09-Aug-12, 11:04 AM
  5. How to be a light hearted parent
    By QUINN in forum General Chat Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 22-May-09, 02:08 PM

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •