Replacing a fluorescent light

[phideaux]

OFCS! I ain got time for this! I mean it.
Took other light unit down.
Put up LED unit, plugged it into gizmo, (I'll see about posting a photo of gizmo)
pulled chain cord to turn on new LED light (it lit up the way it was supposed to),
and it started making a lot of zzzztzzzztzzzztzzzzt noise where it was plugged in.
Turned it off.
Now what? Should I plug it in somewhere else? I was not satisfied with that result.
The cord is not real long. It might reach to the wall outlet.
You can advise me if you want and I do have other real life guys I could ask to come over and take a look but the cool thing about this was I did it myself on my schedule and I didn't have to wait until next month. Ha.

I'd plug it into a different outlet .
If it still buzzes , I'd return it .
You probably got a defective one.

If it does not buzz...the other outlet may be bad.

Jim

 

[Neb]

I'd plug it into a different outlet .
If it still buzzes , I'd return it .
You probably got a defective one.

If it does not buzz...the other outlet may be bad.

Jim

Agreed.

Re:garage

When I purchased replacement ballasts, I noticed something on the label. There was a temperature range specified that didn't go down as low as it gets around here in winter.

To me that explains why the lights had trouble turning on in the dead of winter and why all of the florescent fixures died.

I still have to see how the LED versions work in the cold but I am hopeful I will not have to mess with lights again in the garage.

Ben

 

[Patchouli]

Okie dokie, thank you. I assume it will do okay with an extension cord, a heavy duty orange one, that goes into a bossy looking outlet.
I sure do appreciate your help.

 

[Neb]

...
pulled chain cord to turn on new LED light (it lit up the way it was supposed to),
and it started making a lot of zzzztzzzztzzzztzzzzt noise where it was plugged in.
...

I didn't have to wait until next month. Ha.

If you had trouble pulling out the old plug AND the buzzing sound is coming from the plug there may be corroded contacts. Look at the old plug and see if is corrode (dirty or geenish).

Now if the above is correct then you may be able to clean up the outlet by pulling the plug out and back in again a few times... maybe 6 or so times. If removing and inserting gets easier that is a good sign. Then try the fixture again.

Now if it does still buzz, remove the incandescent bulb and feel the plug for the fixture to see if it is heating up. That would be a sign of a bad connection and the gizmo should be replaced.

Just don't go sticking any metal tools or anything into the plug. Just replace the gizmo. Good contributors are not worth trying to save a few bucks on an old widget.
.

Ben

 

[Peanut]

Another way to check that outlet... take a small reading lamp, blow dryer or other small electrical device out there... plug it in and turn it on.

 

[Weedygarden]

This thread is pretty funny. Thanks for the belly laughs! Patchouli, I hope you get it fixed. I sometimes have these kinds of problems and live with them until some guy comes a long and asks me what is going on here? After I explain the problem, sometimes they will fix it, or give me advice.

 

[Caribou]

When you test your LED make sure it is on a different circuit, like in another room, as there may be something, like another bad light, plugged into that circuit and causing the buzzing.

 

[Patchouli]

@Caribou I plugged it in to the big orange cord into the bossy outlet and all critters have departed. Kidding, there were no critters.
No buzzing, sounded fine. I get scared when you use big words on me like, "circuit."
I think the light socket plug adapter should not be there (where the old timey bulb screws into the ceiling and where the two light units in question were plugged in) and will work on removing that since I will not need the incandescent bulb in there.

 

[Caribou]

@Caribou I plugged it in to the big orange cord into the bossy outlet and all critters have departed. Kidding, there were no critters.
No buzzing, sounded fine. I get scared when you use big words on me like, "circuit."
I think the light socket plug adapter should not be there (where the old timey bulb screws into the ceiling and where the two light units in question were plugged in) and will work on removing that since I will not need the incandescent bulb in there.

Sounds like a bad outlet, adaptor, or something dying and plugged in on the same circuit breaker. Sorry, I just couldn't bring myself to call it a gizmo or thingy.

 

[Haertig]

zzzztzzzztzzzztzzzzt comes right before fffwwwuuummmppp!!! which immediately precedes cracklecracklecrackle which is soon followed by beepbeepbeep!!! (the smoke detector). Do not ignore the beepbeepbeep part. Actually, your guard should be up for any of these noises.

 

[Meerkat]

Yall eve hear the joke about the Pollocks and the light bulb?

 

[Bacpacker]

I'd try to plug the light in some other plug and see if you get the same noise. If not, plug a fan or some other light into the plug you heard the noise from. Eliminate where the problem isn't.

I had to go to the dump today. On the way home I stopped by Harbor Freight and picked up 4 4' LED lights. Installed 3 of them when I got home. Tried to on the 4th one, but it didn't light up right. I'll take it back and get a replacement. Went ahead and hung the chains and hooks so the next light will go up fast. They were Braun single bulb LED's at 5000 lumens. Wifes side of the basement is brighter now than it's ever been. She told me she needed shades now. Postioned one where it lights our freezers are at. Another lights more where we have some storage. 3rd one if to replace one we have had for years that crapped out.