CLFs won't light due to 3-ways???? Horsepucky.

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richwaskowitz

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Shelby Twp. MI, near Detroit
Before I go telling my customer "it can't be so" and since I have not seen it yet, is there any way his claim that a pair of three-way switches (which work just fine with the current incandescents) simply will not light the CFLs he installed in a hallway? He said he replaced the old lamps with 4 new CFLs and they won't light but they work in another location. Unless one of you offers me some other explanation, I will bet that the bases of the CFLs are hitting the socket before the tips make contact.
 
Or it could be like my mother's house, one of the three-ways is actually a non-CFL dimmer.
 
And there is the possibility of the coincident failure / breaking of the circuit at the luminaire(s) simply from the disturbance of the re-lamping with CFLs.

Or the coincident circuit break from an intermittent connection any where along the circuit. . .

But I like your first hunch, i.e., the ballast interfering with the socket neck. Start with this low hanging fruit.
 
I have run into the problem of mainly ceramic sockets stopping the lamp from being screwed in all the way, very common in can lights, Sylvania CFL's have a longer neck that fixed a few of these, others I had to change the sockets, some were as simple as just using a small hook make out of a piece of 1/8" fish tape to pull the center contact back out so it would make contact.
 
As others post, a likely explanation is that the CFLs are not making proper contact.

A less likely, but just about possible, fault is that the circuit has been miswired with two lamps or two pairs of lamps in series.
Incandescents will still light, though very dimly in such circumstances but CFLs likely wont.
 
hurk27 said:
I have run into the problem of mainly ceramic sockets stopping the lamp from being screwed in all the way, very common in can lights, Sylvania CFL's have a longer neck that fixed a few of these, others I had to change the sockets, some were as simple as just using a small hook make out of a piece of 1/8" fish tape to pull the center contact back out so it would make contact.
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I ran into the same in my own house. The base of the brand of lamp I bought would hit the holder before it seated. This was in a ceiling fan light kit. Bought different brand with longer necks and every thing is good.
 
richwaskowitz said:
Before I go telling my customer "it can't be so" and since I have not seen it yet, is there any way his claim that a pair of three-way switches (which work just fine with the current incandescents) simply will not light the CFLs he installed in a hallway? He said he replaced the old lamps with 4 new CFLs and they won't light but they work in another location. Unless one of you offers me some other explanation, I will bet that the bases of the CFLs are hitting the socket before the tips make contact.
Click to expand...

I will bet you dollars to donuts you are right! I had the same problem when I changed out all my incandescants to CFL's.
 
Rich it is a three way, same as a single pole it breaks the wire off, connects the wire on, bottom of lamp must not be touching, so the switch leg isn't reaching the lamp base through the center post of the fixture.
 
I see how a shorter base may not fit the socket properly, but I don't see how 3 way switches would not work anywhere a single pole switch would work. A 3 way dimmer at one end, that would be a problem.
 
A hard wired plain 3 way system will work with anything.

3-way dimmer or an electronic remote 3-way is a different story(The electronic module replaces a standard switch, then a stick-on or screw-on battery powered RF remote located elsewhere will make the system function like a 3-way without running wires)
 
There are a few possibilities all mentioned except one. I will choose the suggestion you made about the base of the bulb not making contact as a viable option. The dimmer is another possibility but it should still work.

Other possible explanation would be a 4 way that is half way rather than up or down. Also he may have used defective bulbs-- unlikely but possible

I assume he means the 3 ways don't work at all not just in a certain position. Easy check-- I would have him replace one bulb with an incandescent and see what happens.

Let us know what you find as we always need a good laugh. :grin:
 
Just like we thought...

Just like we thought...

It had nothing to do with the 3-way. The CLF lamps did not make contact with the socket tip contact in those can lights which were on the 3-way. A19 lamps worked just fine in those cans and the CFLs worked fine in other fixtures. Had to switch brands with a different lamp made in a different part of China.......Ni hao and Tsai chen.
 
richwaskowitz said:
It had nothing to do with the 3-way. The CLF lamps did not make contact with the socket tip contact in those can lights which were on the 3-way. A19 lamps worked just fine in those cans and the CFLs worked fine in other fixtures. Had to switch brands with a different lamp made in a different part of China.......Ni hao and Tsai chen.
Click to expand...

Thank you , it is always good to have a follow up on that stuff.
 
richwaskowitz said:
It had nothing to do with the 3-way. The CLF lamps did not make contact with the socket tip contact in those can lights which were on the 3-way. A19 lamps worked just fine in those cans and the CFLs worked fine in other fixtures. Had to switch brands with a different lamp made in a different part of China.......Ni hao and Tsai chen.
Click to expand...

You could use a socket extender.
 
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