need to giggle actinic bulbs

[rossb]

I have two 30 inch actinic T-8 bulbs in my lighting hood. They are in standard 30 inch home depot flourescent single bulb fixtures. (about 4 weeks old). when I initiall installed them they worked fine. I did some modifications on my lighting hood (kind of shook them all up) and now to get them to work I have to giggle them.

I have had tubes that have had to be rubbed a bit but these have to be turned to "just the right spot" and they will come on. Has anyone had this problem..and equally important does anyone know how to fix it?

[Delphinus]

What are you using for sockets?

Generally speaking, when I've had this kind of problem, it has been either old bulbs, or sometimes if you're using just the standard white fluorescent sockets, it was because the spacing between them was not "just right" and it required an adjustment so that it was a tighter fit for the bulb.

Or, perhaps it's the sockets themselves, maybe a spot of corrosion or something on the contacts .... maybe check that possibility, either replace the sockets if that's the case, or try sanding the contacts a bit maybe.

Just some ideas to try, HTH...

[AJ_77]

What do you use to giggle them?

Puns? Limericks? Dirty jokes??

:roll:

[rossb]

I use a couple of things :oops:

Actually I discovered that T8 bulbs and t12 take different ballast...so thats what I'm doing tomorow

[EmilyB]

Heavens, Bob let you get away with that Ross...... :? :lol:

[mutabaruka]

8) I guess I can't let my kids read the items in this BB anymore ...... latex balloons, rubbing bulbs ....... finding the 'right' spot ...... I'm not sure I should be reading it anymore! :lol:

[rossb]

Well I changed the fixture and added a two tube 30" t8 fixture and I'm glad to say I'm now giggle free.

Hey I still have two of these fixtures left if anyone needs one. When you take them apart they mount in a light hood quite nicely..

[kgb]

i can take off your hands if you want

[rossb]

if you need one...well sure..

[Bob I]

I have had tubes that have had to be rubbed a bit but these have to be turned to "just the right spot" and they will come on. Has anyone had this problem..and equally important does anyone know how to fix it?

I read in an old textbook of mine (Applications of Electrical Construction) That some of those bulbs require a metallic shield above them to work properly. It has to do with picking up a required ground. I had the same problem many years ago with 30" bulbs. They always needed rubbing. :D

[BCOrchidGuy]

If you have to rub or simply touch your tubes to get them to fire, check your (you don't have a) ground.

[rossb]

The actual work just fine with the t12 bulbs, and not the t8's.

On the grounding thing, everything is grounded....that can be grounded. Its grounded so well that you touch any metal part on my tank with a wet dremmel... :lol: