T5: Is this a bad socket?

[3cp0]

I have a 6 bulb t5 and I think one of the sockets went bad. I noticed the bulb in it was very dim, so took it out and replaced it with another that I new was functional and it too was very dim, tried it again with a third bulb and got the same result. So I'm thinking that might mean the socket is no good. Does that sound right? Also, is that an easy fix?

 

[kpmarine]

Is one half of the bulb brighter than the other? Changing an endcap isn't hard generally. Unless you have some hard to work on fixture.

 

[3cp0]

Is one half of the bulb brighter than the other? Changing an endcap isn't hard generally. Unless you have some hard to work on fixture.

The first bulb had a little Light towar the center and none on either end of the bulb. The second bulb I put in was a hint brighter but soon began to do weird things. It looked like the bulb was dying out so I popped it out to try another which was similarly dimmed.

I tested both bulbs in other sockets in the fixture and they were fine.

 

[cannabineer]

It might be the ballast. cn

 

[kpmarine]

The first bulb had a little Light towar the center and none on either end of the bulb. The second bulb I put in was a hint brighter but soon began to do weird things. It looked like the bulb was dying out so I popped it out to try another which was similarly dimmed.

Did anything happen that could have caused any problems? A quick visual inspection should indicate pretty much any damage to that piece. Can you describe what weird things the bulb is doing?

 

[kpmarine]

It might be the ballast. cn

Only one bulb though? Cramming 6 ballasts into one fixture seems tight. Not saying it's not a possibility though. Can we get a pic of your fixture c3po?

 

[3cp0]

There was no physical damage to the light. It's been treated very gingerly. The bulbs when left in that socket start to get damaged, the begin to die from the outer edges inward. The other weird thing I would describe as little waves of light that fluter across the bulb. Does that tell you anything? I will pop a bulb in tomorrow and take a snapshot.

 

[kpmarine]

Probably a ballast, I'm going with cn. If there's no warranty violation, I'd pop it open and see if anything looks weird in there.

 

[3cp0]

To do so, I'd remove bulbs and take out the reflector? Then I suppose I'd see some screws inside that affix the components to the housing? Unscrew those and then I'd have acces to the ballasts?

 

[kpmarine]

To do so, I'd remove bulbs and take out the reflector? Then I suppose I'd see some screws inside that affix the components to the housing? Unscrew those and then I'd have acces to the ballasts?

I don't know how yours is built, but bulbs out and reflectors removed is always a good start. If you google your particular fixture, you might be able to find a manual specific to yours.

 

[DeeTee]

I agree, it sounds like the ballast, they are pretty easy to replace just make sure it's the same, there should be all the info abt the ballast on a lable attached to the ballast, also check the wiring to all the sockets, one could be defective.

 

[3cp0]

Thanks for the 2nd opinion DeeTee!

 

[pacificarage]

Sounds like a ballast issue to me too. There's not much that can go wrong with the end caps, unless they get smashed or busted which you can usually tell just by looking at them. I've seen bad ballasts do some funky stuff.