T5 Socket Failure

[stevebea]

Anybody out there experiencing unusual or abnormal socket failure in t5 sockets particularly in t5 HO High Bay fixtures? These high bays are about 2 years old and they are having problems with lamps dropping out of sockets they are that bad. I haven't been on the job but I have seen some of the pics and it's not good. They are trying to sort out if it's a socket problem or a combination high frequency ballast / lamp / socket problem. Any ideas?

 

[hurk27]

Anybody out there experiencing unusual or abnormal socket failure in t5 sockets particularly in t5 HO High Bay fixtures? These high bays are about 2 years old and they are having problems with lamps dropping out of sockets they are that bad. I haven't been on the job but I have seen some of the pics and it's not good. They are trying to sort out if it's a socket problem or a combination high frequency ballast / lamp / socket problem. Any ideas?

Not sure how the ballast or the frequency it operates at can be a factor, if the ears are loose and allow the lamp to slip out of the end I can see a problem, but with the design of the twist and lock type socket I have never seen a lamp fall out of one except a couple where the end of the lamp broke off allowing it to fall, make sure the ears are snapped all the way into the housing.

 

[BullsnPyrs]

If you could post the pictures we might be more helpful. What brand and type of fixtures are you working with? What kind of working enviorment are you dealing with? How were the fixtures mounted? Heat and vibration are the most likely culprits.

 

[Dangusich]

T5 Socket Failure

I have had T5 sockets fail when they were in a machine shop enviorment,the oil and other chemicals they use disperse in the air and settle on the fixture and sockets.with the combination of heat and time the plastic just crumbled and lamps fell out. We installed new sockets provided by the company which made the fixture and also installed wire guards in the event any future socket failures.

 

[kwired]

I thought I read a thread not too long ago about lamps cracking near the ends near end of life. Are they falling out of sockets or cracking and then falling? Might be hard to tell unless one end is still in socket while the rest fell.