Fluorescent light - usually only works when thumped!

[Rollerball]

I have an illuminated magnifying desk lamp with a circular fluorescent tube. Of late it often has a problem starting, either flickering faintly for a while or almost starting but not quite (so basically going on and off). The way to get it working properly is to thump the lamp a few times.

I don't have a spare lamp or starter (the small white cylindrical type) so does this indicate a problem with the circular tube or the starter? Am asking in advance as I don't want to order the wrong replacement part.

Thanks

 

[deadshort]

Could be both, it won't break the bank


DS

 

[Rollerball]

True.

Have just noticed that if I twiddle the starter in its socket (is this dangerous? ) it also gets the tube to fire up.

 

[winston1]

So, its not the tube or starter but the contacts in the starter socket.

 

[securespark]

Faulty starter.

 

[Rollerball]

Just been hunting around for another starter.

The current one in the lamp is marked as:

FSU 4-80W
Single
200-240V

However, have just found this:

SSU 4-65W
Single
220-240V

The circular tube is rated at 22W

The latter starter seems to work okay, but what does FSU (and SSU) stand for?

 

[ekmdgrf]

I Googled and I Googled and I found an answer not. This leads me to suspect that it's not really that important, so I'd probably order that starter and see what happens. My guess is that your lamp will start.

 

[winston1]

But I said it was the contacts on the starter socket so if the symptoms persist you know what to do next.

 

[333rocky333]

Fleurescent Starter Universal
common name for the most widely used type

SSU possibly
Switch Starter Universal

In your case both the same, FSU's are generally 4-65w or 4-80w depending on brand

 

[333rocky333]

But I said it was the contacts on the starter socket so if the symptoms persist you know what to do next.

Its quite common fact that "flicking a starter in and out will bypass a faulty starter and possibly strike a lamp.

General rule is to change lamp and starter together.

 

[winston1]

General rule is to change lamp and starter together.

Waste of money. Starters generally last 3 to 4 times the life of a lamp.

 

[333rocky333]

35p for a starter
A faulty starter will degrade the £12 lamp in no time, not worth the risk.

Modern tubelife exceeds 12 months nowadays and manufacturers can only sell efficient lamps nowadays.
No starters are quarenteed for 12 months and some are poor quality and rarely outlive a tube these days

Winstons still living in the 80's, like transformers, lamp manufacture has moved on

 

[EFLImpudence]

OR -

After thumping, do not turn off.

 

[winston1]

35p for a starter
A faulty starter will degrade the £12 lamp in no time, not worth the risk.

Modern tubelife exceeds 12 months nowadays and manufacturers can only sell efficient lamps nowadays.
No starters are quarenteed for 12 months and some are poor quality and rarely outlive a tube these days

Winstons still living in the 80's, like transformers, lamp manufacture has moved on

Tube life has always exceeded 12 months.
All electrical goods, including starters, would be covered by the sale of goods act so guarantee, which is in addition to statuary rights, is irrevalent.
I'm, like you, are living in the 21st century. What have transformers got to do with this?

 

[ekmdgrf]

35p for a starter
A faulty starter will degrade the £12 lamp in no time, not worth the risk.

Modern tubelife exceeds 12 months nowadays and manufacturers can only sell efficient lamps nowadays.
No starters are quarenteed for 12 months and some are poor quality and rarely outlive a tube these days

Winstons still living in the 80's, like transformers, lamp manufacture has moved on

Tube life has always exceeded 12 months.
All electrical goods, including starters, would be covered by the sale of goods act so guarantee, which is in addition to statuary rights, is irrevalent.
I'm, like you, are living in the 21st century. What have transformers got to do with this?

I confess that I have not read the Act in question however, my understanding of the SoGA is that like most UK law, there's a lot of use of the word "reasonable". In particular, the goods have to last for a "reasonable" amount of time. In assessing that, the court would look at how much you paid for the goods and how they compare to the competition. If it costs 35p and lasts as long as every other manufacturers, you're not going to get much mileage from the SoGA. Indeed, that it costs 35p and is user replaceable gives some indication of the life expectancy. Indeed, I doubt you'd get much mileage claiming that you purchased a tea light and it only stayed lit for 2 hours...