Lighting problem

[ELAR]

I need help from some of you troubleshooting experts (which I am not). I had a customer call me and state that at a office building he owns the flourescents 2x4 fixtures are continually going out. Ballasts and lamps have been replaced and still the same. Unfortunalty thats all I know for now but from what was described I dont have clue. Any and all ideas would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[LarryFine]

Mismatching of tubes and ballasts? T-12 and T-8 tubes and ballasts are not interchangeable.

 

[Minuteman]

I agree with Larry. Also, sometimes Joe Maintenance will change 1 ballast and 1 lamps in a old T-12 fixture. Then he will leave the other ballast and 3 lamps. It will work great for a while.

 

[brian john]

We had a site where this was happening, 12 story office building spending their yearly lighting budget in one month. We found that the Energy Management System (EMS) had a software glitch and starting at 12:00 AM till about 4:30 AM the lights were continually turned on and off 100's maybe 1000's of times. This shortens the life of ballast and lamps. This was pre internet, but I did call the manufacture. The EMS company said I was not only wrong but insinuated I was STUIPID, and that the manufacture was CYAing to avoid warranty issues. So we set up test fixtures with timers and relays and recreated the problem at our shop. I was right.

Had another site and the issue was defective ballast.

Check The EMS.
Check the voltage level at the fixtures with a calibrated meter.
Call the manufacture for warranty issues (They might lie or fudge the truth).
Check for recalls and ask other building owners and electricians if they are having similar problems.

 

[ptonsparky]

Make sure someone has not installed insulation directly on top of the fixtures. The thermal protection just does like that.

 

[bstoin]

several things could be going on here.
1) the ballasts are made in china (no offense to any chinese members on this forum)
2) it has been my experience that some electronic ballasts are very sensitive and do not last
3) any of the other problems cited above by other members here
4) last and more importantly...never take what the customer says at face value. ask many questions. when he says "they keep going out" does he mean the same ones keep going out? does this mean that three fixtures (hypothetically speaking) out of 100 on his floor, all of which just happen to be in the same area went out within 2 weeks? some customers will say "they KEEP going out" when this occurs. perhaps one light needed a ballast a month ago and now needs bulbs. etc etc