Emergency Bulkhead Operation?

[suffolkspark]

This does happen with faulty starters... Have you honestly tried a new one in the fitting of correct rating?

 

[OttoF]

This does happen with faulty starters... Have you honestly tried a new one in the fitting of correct rating?

No. I took the starter from the fitting and put it in another fitting to test the starter was good. The starter is fine, and was the correct rating. See attached pic.

 

[suffolkspark]

In that case i have no idea lol, bin it

 

[davesparks]

Okay... but logically this doesn't make sense to what I'm looking at, which is no starter and working 2D lamp.

I'll upload a pic to show you. The circular hole is where I removed the starter from. Clearly, the 2D bulb is lit.

Explanation?
]

It is normal for a lamp to illuminate when a dead starter is removed as starters basically work by breaking a circuit.

The other fitting which it appears to work in will probably have a much newer lamp in it, or be a lot warmer because it had been on fir a while.

Just put a new lamp and starter in and see if it works.

 

[OttoF]

I'm worried we're in danger of getting a little off topic.

Fact list...

• The 2D bulb is good.
• The starter is good.
• The supply is good.
• 4 pin 2D bulbs require an external ballast.
• This 4 pin 2D bulb works without a "cork sized" starter.
• The 6W florescent lamp is missing.

The back of the unit appears to contain a rectangular shaped ballast. Sorry, don't have a pic of it, but you can Google "4 pin 2D emergency bulkhead" for an exposed image of this inside of one of these.

From a design feature perspective, if the florescent tube is missing, perhaps the 2D bulb is supposed to NOT work, if a starter exists?

Logically, this would make senses (to me at least), as it gives a clear indication that maintenance is required at that fitting, i.e. a new florescent tube.

However, that's just a guess. So, my question is: unless the mains supply is deliberately cut, how is the emergency backup tested (without equipment)?

 

[OttoF]

It is normal for a lamp to illuminate when a dead starter is removed as starters basically work by breaking a circuit.

The other fitting which it appears to work in will probably have a much newer lamp in it, or be a lot warmer because it had been on fir a while.

Just put a new lamp and starter in and see if it works.

Sure, but I'm trying to avoid unnecessary costs and another trip to the hardware store.

Sorry, but I'm on a tight budget. Loads of other work needing done. Like I mentioned, the emergency side of this particular fitting is now redundant. I'm just trying to gain a better understanding of these types of fittings.

Shared knowledge from all you good folk is priceless, sustainable, and much appreciated.

 

[davesparks]

I'm worried we're in danger of getting a little off topic.

Fact list...

• The 2D bulb is good.
• The starter is good.
• The supply is good.
• 4 pin 2D bulbs require an external ballast.
• This 4 pin 2D bulb works without a "cork sized" starter.
• The 6W florescent lamp is missing.

You have said it comes on when the starter is removed, but not said whether it then switches on and off correctly without the starter fitted?

How do you know that the 2D lamp is good? Is it brand new or has it been in the fitting for a period of time?

As fit testing emergency lights, this is done by switching off the permanent live supply.

 

[davesparks]

Sure, but I'm trying to avoid unnecessary costs and another trip to the hardware store.

Sorry, but I'm on a tight budget. Loads of other work needing done.

Surely the time you are spending swapping used parts between different light fittings is costing more than a new lamp and starter?

 

[OttoF]

In that case i have no idea lol, bin it

Ha! No worries. That makes at least 2 of us. Fact is, the light works as well as I need it to now, i.e. when it gets dark, the light comes on.

I was just foxed by why (apparently) a good starter was somehow interfering with a perfectly good bulb.

Similar emergency bulkheads in other parts of the building do need the emergency element to work, so if something happens to one of those, if I can crack this conundrum, then I'm better placed to fix them.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[OttoF]

Surely the time you are spending swapping used parts between different light fittings is costing more than a new lamp and starter?

Nope. Took me less than 1 minute. They are feet away from each other.

 

[OttoF]

You have said it comes on when the starter is removed, but not said whether it then switches on and off correctly without the starter fitted?

How do you know that the 2D lamp is good? Is it brand new or has it been in the fitting for a period of time?

As fit testing emergency lights, this is done by switching off the permanent live supply.

It's on a photocell linked circuit, so I'll know if it switches off in the morning. And I'll know if it switches back on once it gets dark again. I don't have any doubts that's exactly what will happen.

The 2D lamp was brand new. The old one fell out and smashed on the ground due to someone whacking the defuser and dislodging it from the connector. It's a long story, but the property has been "under siege" recently.

As for testing the emergency side of the circuit, that's exactly my understanding, i.e. kill mains supply and visually check each fitting. Was just checking if there was something I could check at an individual fitting level.

Thanks. Good points raised.

 

[westward10]

That type of emergency luminare is not seen too often now and is known as a sustained fitting.

 

[MDJ]

.

 

[MDJ]

You okay now? Hopefully.

Okay, so what's the answer to the question? If you don't know, that's fine. I don't know either.

Hi, if you look at a starter it is vertually a link of wire, there is a tiny wire, when the juice is turned on the wire heats rapidly and bends away which allows the juice to flow through. When you turn on a fluorescent tube, the starter is a closed switch. The filaments at the ends of the tube are heated by electricity, and they create a cloud of electrons inside the tube. The fluorescent starter is a time-delay switch that opens after a second or two. When it opens, the voltage across the tube allows a stream of electrons to flow across the tube and ionize the mercury vapor (I didn't write this) it takes vertually no time to do so and whilst it is doing this the tubes flickers as the juice is going through.

If the starter is faulty the wire can already be fused or melted together, but the power isn't enough immediately to strike the lamp as it is not there straight away, hence the choke, and the gas in the end of the tubes are still heating, however as the wire is already shorted power is getting to the end and when you remove the starter the action does actually spark the unit into life due to how it is explained above. When you put the starter back in the fact it is broken can inhibit the flow even though the wire is fused together.

The starter may work on other fittings if the control gear is in tip top condition, however this will be very temporary as the starter is actually knackered. Your lamp and starter were kanckered in your light, now both have been replaced it will be fine. Throw the starter in the bin.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Throw the starter in the bin.

Chuck the whole thing and the rest of them in the bin, fluorescents are sh&%!