Fluorescent Lights Blinking and Going Off

[GrowRebel]

:ciao: I checked with my multimeter and when I have it set at 100 it pegs out ... when I have it set on the 300 scale it looks like 100 volts ... but since it pegs out on the 100 scale my guess is it is about 110V:stoned:

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

Rebel i know you don't want to hear this again, but you are trying to test and use electrical theory on a cheap piece of chineese throw-away junk. which is why the manager at Lowes gave you extras. Utilitech fixtures are as close to worthless as someone can make and buy and get away with it.

you said Sears did not have them, what about mail order? any electrical supply houses in town? competitors to Lowes?

to anyone trying to offer advice on how to troubleshoot a Utilitech fixture - have you ever seen one? used one? not just a fluorescent fixture - this particular brand of fixture? they REALLY suck...

 

[ozzydiodude]

I got 3 that are 2 yrs old from lowes and they work fine but I'm not growing under them.

 

[Hushpuppy]

I know yu said yer on a budget but when yu can, go to accessdiscounts.com and buy yu some of these lights. They are $23 each and work flawlessly so far for me. here's a few pics of the bulb and fixture together, and the box they come in. They come as individual light fixtures and yu can also get the bloom bulbs with them. They're awsome (no I don't work for either the company that makes them or sells them)
In the one pic I have just one bulb lit but yu can connect as many as 8 together to really pump out the lumens.

 

[ston-loc]

I've hung thousands of lights, from cheap as hell to expensive, and all will function unless there's a defect or electrical supply issue. No way that that many new lights (even though cheap) have been defective. You would be suprised how crappy the quality of fixtures are installed in new construction. I'm talking 1.5 million dollar houses to hospitals. Either something you are doing is wrong, or your electrical system has something to figure out.

 

[GrowRebel]

I've hung thousands of lights, from cheap as hell to expensive, and all will function unless there's a defect or electrical supply issue. No way that that many new lights (even though cheap) have been defective. You would be suprised how crappy the quality of fixtures are installed in new construction. I'm talking 1.5 million dollar houses to hospitals. Either something you are doing is wrong, or your electrical system has something to figure out.

What could I be doing wrong? I'm pretty sure I'm getting 110v ... I'll take the lights to a friends house and see if they work there when I can. The old ones are working ok and the first two utilitech worked for a couple of months so I don't know what to say ... I'll take the others two back and try for a better model ...

 

[GrowRebel]

Rebel i know you don't want to hear this again, but you are trying to test and use electrical theory on a cheap piece of chineese throw-away junk. which is why the manager at Lowes gave you extras. Utilitech fixtures are as close to worthless as someone can make and buy and get away with it.

you said Sears did not have them, what about mail order? any electrical supply houses in town? competitors to Lowes?

to anyone trying to offer advice on how to troubleshoot a Utilitech fixture - have you ever seen one? used one? not just a fluorescent fixture - this particular brand of fixture? they REALLY suck...

I will have to try mail order when I can if I can't find anything that works locally ... thanks

 

[ston-loc]

Sorry, not meaning something u are doing, since u said its plug in ready to go. But there may be some simple tests to figure it out. You can buy a cheap digital meter for $30. Also, ballasts can be purchased separately, which aside from good connections, is they key part to function. You need to acurately check your electricalbefore spending more time and $ getting different light without knowing the actual problem. Good luck, and ask if you have any questions.

 

[soil]

i got a real meter reb , i'll go check my volts an ohms an report back. i dont seem to be havin the prob near as much anymore but it still happens , i just dont ever shut the lights off......





soil :chuck:

 

[GrowRebel]

:ciao:Well I bought the two set of Lithonia lights and I tried one set and it didn't work:doh: ... so I went out and bought new bulbs and tried it ... still no work:hairpull: ... just flickered for a while then when out. I contacted the manufacturer asking if the light was unforgiving if the voltage wasn't just so , and was told it will work between 110 and 130 volt and if it didn't work then it was defective. I knew I had at least 110 v. So I was going to take them both back to home depot and get the $20 fixture, but I decided to tried the other one I didn't open or take out of the box before I took them back and it worked right away ... no flickering at all.:yay:

So I took the defective one back and exchanged if for another one, got new bulbs and it work right away too.:hubba:

Back in business.:watchplant:

 

[ston-loc]

Talk about a crap streak of purchases! Glad you got something to finally work. What does the "made in _____" say on those lights label? :doh:

Honestly though, that was just crazy bad luck. I've installed thousands of crappy cheap fixtures, but your run was shear coincidence. Haha.

 

[soil]

Talk about a crap streak of purchases! Glad you got something to finally work. What does the "made in _____" say on those lights label? :doh:

Honestly though, that was just crazy bad luck. I've installed thousands of crappy cheap fixtures, but your run was shear coincidence. Haha.

what you witnessed was the determination of a true cheapskate.
I am exactly the same way only my temper would not have let the second fixture live through the recession.


soil (gathering worm poop instead of buying dirt )

 

[GrowRebel]

Well folks those lights are giving me trouble again :doh: ... can any one recommend a good fluorescent light fixture? If possible a link where to purchase. I've been looking around but only see pretty much what I already have.:confused2:

 

[Growdude]

Just get some CFL bulbs and be done. The T12" aren't the bulbs you want to use anyway.

Did you ever try them at someone elses house?

Take them back to Home Depot and plug them in there for them.

 

[Hushpuppy]

You can get the T5HO multi-bulb fixtures or individual bulb fixtures from access-discounts.com($23 each single bulb n fixture), discount hydro.com ,or HTGsupply.com for single, double, or multibulb fixtures. T5 bulbs put out 5000lumens per 54watt bulb. You can also buy the best CFL bulbs for better price at these places. Get them here and you will not get stuff anywhere else again

 

[ston-loc]

I seriously have to bet there is SOME kind of electrical issue. No way that streak is a fixture only problem IME.

 

[Sol]

Wow,thats' some seriously bad mojo with the floros. If you were dead set on getting t12's maybe try a local contractor? They might have / or know where to get better quality stuff ( they deal with it every day) . Although if you had a few x-tra bucks those t5s that HushPuppy is talkin about sound like a much better way to go. :aok: Just my .2 cents Hmm, i can't find the cents key lol

 

[GrowRebel]

:ciao: The budget doesn't allow for anything else right now:doh: ... all I can do is take them back and try a different brand. This time American Fluorescent. The reviews for it are about the same as the other two brands I had, but I'll give it a shot until I can afford to get better fixtures.:hairpull: :confused2:

 

[Growdude]

:ciao: The budget doesn't allow for anything else right now:doh: ... all I can do is take them back and try a different brand. This time American Fluorescent. The reviews for it are about the same as the other two brands I had, but I'll give it a shot until I can afford to get better fixtures.:hairpull: :confused2:

You can take them back for the CFL's :hairpull: I dont understand.

 

[GrowRebel]

:ciao:The CFL are more expensive and I will need at least 4 lamps to replace the two ... now another one of my fluorescent have gone out and I have to get another one so I would need 6 to replace the three ... the American Fluorescent are junk too!:doh: It's like it's the same junk with different names. Man I am so screwed.:hairpull: