GE CFL lamps

[ptonsparky]

I have not been to this location.

Customer calls about fixtures blinking off.
Help goes up and replaces the CFL with a 60 w inc in one of the fixtures. That has stayed On.
The bath vanity has three of the same CFL lamps. The lamps cycle off almost simultaneously of each other. He replaced one of the lamps with an 60 w inc and things stayed on.

I did not like his explanation/solution and sent him back to look for a loose connection. This time he was there long enough to see the two bath vanity CFLs go off almost at the same time while the 60 w inc he had placed in there earlier stayed on without a noticeable flicker. He found no loose connections. Yet.

Lamp end of life indication...but at almost the same time?

GE FLE20AG2V2/HB/SW 20W, 320ma.

 

[ptonsparky]

End of life.

He took a video of the problem. Those are lamps with some close tolerances. It was pretty obvious the lamps are cycling on either current or temperature sensing when he demonstrated with having one or two of the CFLs installed along with the 60 w inc. I apologized for doubting him.

 

[JFletcher]

I have not been to this location.

Customer calls about fixtures blinking off.
Help goes up and replaces the CFL with a 60 w inc in one of the fixtures. That has stayed On.
The bath vanity has three of the same CFL lamps. The lamps cycle off almost simultaneously of each other. He replaced one of the lamps with an 60 w inc and things stayed on.

I did not like his explanation/solution and sent him back to look for a loose connection. This time he was there long enough to see the two bath vanity CFLs go off almost at the same time while the 60 w inc he had placed in there earlier stayed on without a noticeable flicker. He found no loose connections. Yet.

Lamp end of life indication...but at almost the same time?

GE FLE20AG2V2/HB/SW 20W, 320ma.

Once did a troubleshoot on a bar that was reopening; none of the 14 bar pendant lights worked. All had 13W CFLs in them. No problem found at the switch; decided to check a fixture. Has 120V hot to neutral. Replace bulb, it works. My only guess is a power surge blew them all; not one looked like it was at EOL.

CFLs are a horrible match to bath vanity lights because they get cycled to death. I wouldnt be surprised if those lamps were less than a year old.

 

[chadnodine]

Is it being switched by a SP toggle or Dimmer? If it's a dimmer that could be your problem. It's could be the hot prong inside the sockets not making good contact due to the limits created by design of CFL's at the base and with temperature contraction it looses contact. Or it's just the cfl's.


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