Unfortunately, fluorescent ballasts are not one-size-fits-all and replacing them can cost as much as just buying a new fixture. Unusual wear-and-tear or damage notwithstanding, ballasts for fluorescent lights should last at least a decade. As a result, it is worth doing a cost comparison—especially if the fixture is relatively new. As a personal tip, I always recommend using electronics the day of purchase, so that way you can return as soon as possible, if needed. However, if you are determined to replace the ballast on your own, you can find them at pretty much any hardware.
The entire process should only take about 10 minutes. The final item on our list addresses the more complicated reasons for fluorescent lights that are flickering or not turning on.
The general cause of a blown fuse is that too many appliances are plugged in and it overwhelms the circuits. This is more likely to happen if you have an outdated fuse box instead of a circuit breaker. Circuit breakers are tripped when something short circuits. We strongly recommend calling a licensed electrician if you suspect any of these issues.
Do not try to DIY your electrical problems , as it is very dangerous. If you live in a short-term rental, it may be unrealistic for you to call an electrician. If that is the case follow my electrical safety tips below, and avoid plugging in too many electronics at once. Some problems are more likely to be recurring like corrosion and water damage if you have fluorescent lights in a high humidity climate.
While you do fluorescent light troubleshooting, make sure the power is off, you are standing on a stable surface, and that you leave complicated issues to professional electricians.
Your email address will not be published. Yes, add me to your mailing list. Consequently, this might be because of a broken breaker, fuse, ballast, or bulb. Fixing a fluorescent light that works intermittently can be easy or difficult. It depends on what you will see after you have examined the possible causes. If you have been using the lamp for quite a while and flickering or dimming, you can still rejuvenate its ability to emit light.
Please remove it from the ballast. Some tubes can be removed by rotating them clockwise or counterclockwise from their sockets. If it is a circular lamp, unsnap it from the supporting brackets. Remove it from the single socket and pull it out. If it is a straight tube, get fine-grit sandpaper and scrub it on the two pins on both ends. Wipe away the dust with a paper towel or cloth. For circular lamps, clean the four pins attached to the lamp body.
If the fluorescent lamp does not light nor flicker when you turn the switch on, check if it is plugged in, if there is no blown fuse at the circuit breaker, or if the circuit or main breaker was accidentally tripped.
If all is well on the power supply side, turn off the switch. Then try to wiggle the lamp in its sockets. Gently rock the tube from side to side and back and forth. The idea is to remove the dust or slight corrosion that may have deposited or formed at both ends of the lamp as well as the sockets. Fluorescent light will not turn on if these external particles block the flow of electricity.
If only one end of the tube is blackened, remove it from the ballast. Clean both ends and then re-install it in reverse. In other words, one end of the tube will be in the other socket where its opposite end was there before.
If both ends of the tube are blackened, you can still extend its life and use it some more and delay buying a new one. Examine the condition of both ends. If they have some brownish tint, that is only normal for lamps that have been used for quite a while. If a pin is slightly bent, get a long nose plier and try to straighten it out. If the lamp turns on and off, which is different from flickering, the problem could be a loose electrical wiring connection.
It could also be a faulty ballast. Refer to the section on how to check the ballast. If it is loose wiring, you have to open the ballast to find the lost connection location.
It is difficult to repair a fluorescent ballast unless you are a knowledgeable electrician. Taking good care of your fluorescent lights will help you prevent problems with lights that dim, flicker, and not working at all.
If you live in a very humid and wet area, you have to ground your lamps properly. When fluorescent lamps are lighted, they are cooler than incandescent bulbs.
Moisture on the exterior of the fluorescent bulb may condense. This can result in a considerable shock hazard if it is not grounded. Affix a ground wire to the ballast to prevent this problem. If this condition is allowed to go on, it might cost you additional money for repairs. The moisture will corrode the pins on the ends of the lamp and the ballast as well. Not all fluorescent lights have starters, but if yours does, it will usually be located near a tube socket.
Lights with more than one tube have a separate starter for each. If you do not find a starter, unplug the light or shut off the power, then remove the deflector above the tube and look there, or disassemble the base if the light is a desk or floor model. To remove a starter, press it inward and twist it counterclockwise a quarter turn; it should pop out.
There is no way to tell if it is malfunctioning except by replacing it, and since starters are available at hardware stores for less than a dollar, it is worth the gamble.
Take the old part with you to obtain a duplicate. Fluorescent lights designed without starters are called rapid-starting lights, and this designation is usually printed or stamped on them.
With these, dirt on the tube can sometimes prevent lighting or can cause flickering. The cure is to remove the tube and clean it by wiping it first with a cloth dipped in dish detergent, and then with a cloth dipped in plain water. Be careful when handling tubes; they are fragile and if smashed may explode into shards. If a fluorescent tube blinks on and off-a slower and more distinct process than flickering-the fault may lie in loose wiring or in another component, called the ballast.
The ballast is almost always to blame if the fixture hums during operation. To inspect the wiring and ballast, remove the deflector or disassemble the base, as well as any other parts necessary to expose the tube sockets and wiring. Check that the plastic twist-on connectors joining the wires are firmly tightened and that the ground wire usually green is fastened tightly to the metal body of the fixture.
No exposed wires should be present. A wire that appears disconnected probably is, and should be reconnected. The sockets, as well as other components, should also be firmly fixed in place. The ballast is a rectangular metal or plastic component resembling a small box with wires issuing from both ends.
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