When you use fluorescent lighting you are conserving energy and the bonus is you help the planet, but there are other benefits from using them instead of incandescent light bulbs. They also do cost more initially but in a short time(3-12months) you will see that they pay for themselves as your electric bill will show an with the newer generation of them the “yellow glow” has been eliminated, don’t flicker and light up quickly.
It is important to know how fluorescent lights work and basically they are made up of a glass tube which is sealed with a phosphor powder covering on the inside walls of the glass tube. The tube also has an electrode located on each end and those electrodes have wires that form an electrical circuit. This is then connected to the AC power supply source.
Once the lamp is turned on, current flows through the electrical circuit to the pair of electrodes and then the electrons move through the gas from one end of the tube to the other. This in turn causes mercury in the tube to change from liquid form to gas. Moving through the tube are electrons and ions with a portion of them crashing into the mercury atoms in their gas state. The atoms’ electrons then have increased energy levels and when they return to original energy level they send light photons.
However, that process does not always work as it should and if you experience that happening then the following steps will help you to find the problem and solve it.
Step 1: Make sure power is going through the fixture and make sure the switch is on and check the breaker to be sure it hasn’t tripped.
Step 2: Check to see that none of the fluorescent light bulbs are broken, and if still not working, replace the bulbs. When that is done turn on the switch to make sure it is working.
When it comes to a multi-bulb fixture if one bulb is out it is best to replace all since extra strain on the new bulb.
Step 3: Check inside the light bulb socket and look for any cracks, which can result from overheating. If the socket is damaged then you should consider buying a new one.
Step 4 – Check the power to the fixture. In order to do this you will have to have a circuit tester and that is easily purchased at a home improvement or hardware store.
Step 5 – If it is worth the costs, then replace the ballast instead of the entire fixture. This is relatively easy to do for someone with basic knowledge of electronic components.
Fluorescent light fixtures are a good investment, but nonetheless you still will need to perform minor maintenance jobs on them. The above mentioned steps are easy to do and will ensure that you don’t stay in the dark for a long time.
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