Excessive??? Compact fluorescents failing.

[GBDamo]

Would like to tap into the hive mind a bit.

A customer has approximately seventy suspended ceiling modular lights with TL5C circular fluorescents in and is calling us out roughly every six weeks to change lamps, five or six at a time.

Averaging out gives a lamp life of about 18 months which I don’t think is too bad. No one fitting is constantly blowing lamps.

The fittings are five years old and already a few ballasts have failed.

They have asked me to “test” them to see why the lamps are blowing so frequently.

I have noticed singe marks around the lamp holder and some of the internals are showing signs of heat damage.

Other than ballast output/input and general tightness of connections and lampholder what else would you be looking for?

Or are they just reaching their age and are due replacement?

 

[Nigel]

How does that compare with a HF ballast though.

The panels I use at the moment are NVC which come with a five year guarantee but to be honest I fit what the wholesalers have. Can’t believe there’s that much difference.

There is not to be far but your client may be expecting no maintenence for the next 20 years.

They just need a bit of educating sometimes. LEDs are sold as good for 20 years but most people outside of the trade don’t factor in driver replacement.

 

[gnuuser]

Demonstrate in one area the benefits of led this may then encourage them to have all of them done.

agree cost savings per year can be a deciding factor.
went from incandescent directly to led in my home and the cost savings was over $500 a year!

 

[gnuuser]

cfl and other ballasts produce a lot of heat and often people insulate around them and they cannot cool of sufficiently! this can lead to early failure of both the lamps and ballasts (Ive seen this often with the inset can type fixtures) the spiral cfl's would get so hot you would burn your fingers trying to change one.
while led's do produce some heat their lifespan can be prolonged by keeping the insulation away from them as well.

 

[Toneyz]

Here we go.

More of the same pointless video's.

A hefty amount of posts removed, the OP is asking a question and some member are not interesting in helping out and posting to satisfy there boredom I suspect, let's try keep the thread on track as I suspect the OP is looking for help not a barrage of pointless responses, videos or pics that only drag the thread of course.
If you want to respond further then stay on topic please.

Well put fed up of the pointless videos.

 

[Nigel]

agree cost savings per year can be a deciding factor.
went from incandescent directly to led in my home and the cost savings was over $500 a year!

Blimey how big is your house and how often do you have the lights on?

 

[Dave OCD]

If the flourescents are being operated frequently [via the PIR's rather than manually on for long periods of time] then that will certainly reduce lamp life. I've also found though over the years that an awful lot of HF control gear is rubbish compared to the old school magnetic ballasts and operational life can be very short.

 

[Davisonp]

How long are the lights on for with the PIR? A very short on off time can significantly shorten the life of a fluorescent lamp. I have been told 15 minutes minimum. I have also had one site where Osram 28W 2D lamps were only lasting 6 months in 35 fittings, having the first ballast go, I changed to Tridonic and that lamp has lasted one and a half years. it was a cheep set of fluorescent fittings.

 

[GBDamo]

If the flourescents are being operated frequently [via the PIR's rather than manually on for long periods of time] then that will certainly reduce lamp life. I've also found though over the years that an awful lot of HF control gear is rubbish compared to the old school magnetic ballasts and operational life can be very short.

This makes sense to me, would you expect a HF ballast to fail slowly causing lamp failure or just go?

 

[GBDamo]

How long are the lights on for with the PIR? A very short on off time can significantly shorten the life of a fluorescent lamp. I have been told 15 minutes minimum. I have also had one site where Osram 28W 2D lamps were only lasting 6 months in 35 fittings, having the first ballast go, I changed to Tridonic and that lamp has lasted one and a half years. it was a cheep set of fluorescent fittings.

Will be investigating PIR timing tomorrow and if necessary setting them to 30 mins.

Number two on my list.... now

 

[gnuuser]

2600 square feet but has 2 stories 14 rooms total, we rent out the upstairs.
gas furnace electric dryer.

 

[Dave OCD]

This makes sense to me, would you expect a HF ballast to fail slowly causing lamp failure or just go?

In my experience they just fail suddenly mate, cheap and nasty components I expect.

 

[GBDamo]

In my experience they just fail suddenly mate, cheap and nasty components I expect.

Cheers, won’t try that line of BS then.

 

[GBDamo]

A little controversial maybe but what are people’s thoughts on buying components and converting the existing fittings to LED?

Would any CE raiting would be voided?

 

[gnuuser]

that Im not sure of But I imagine retrofit kits are usually approved providing the are installed correctly. But in most cases its probably cheaper to replace the entire fitting.

 

[Midwest]

A hefty amount of posts removed, the OP is asking a question and some member are not interesting in helping out and posting to satisfy there boredom I suspect, let's try keep the thread on track as I suspect the OP is looking for help not a barrage of pointless responses, videos or pics that only drag the thread of course.
If you want to respond further then stay on topic please.

I dunno darkward, laughter eases the savage breast. Its just how far one takes it.