# New Lights flickering



## rpmsongs (Aug 22, 2010)

is this normal? I got 2 new 40w sunpaq CF lights, one new ballast, and one older one. Today is the first day I've had my lights on a timer, also the first day I've had a chance to really look at the lights. 

Earlier today I had the front light flickering, so I turned it off, let it rest, turned it back on. It was still flickering. Then I unplugged it and plugged it in somewhere else and it turned on, then shut off. 

I took the lights apart and checked for loose wiring. None. Then plugged back in. Worked, no flickering. Weird. 

Later the timer on the second light turned it on. It's now flickering. Different balast, different timer. 

Is it normal for lights to do this? Thanks!


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi rpmsongs,

Although CF bulbs are "instant on" they sometimes need several minutes to warm up to operating temperature. What are they doing after 10 or 15 minutes?


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

what's the wattage of the ballast, and what's the wattage of the bulb?

say the ballast is 2x96 and you put 2 65 watt bulbs on it the ballast will try to over power the bulbs pushing them to 96w.
each, there for shorting the life of the bulbs and ballast

I've also seen where some power compact ballast will only power certin bulbs.. I tried to power a 6,700k/10,000k bulb the ballast wouldn't do it. but as soon as I stuck two 6,700k or two 10,000k it worked..


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## rpmsongs (Aug 22, 2010)

You know what, these are 67,000/10k bulbs. They don't flicker right when the turn on. Takes a little while for them to start flickering.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Maybe this will give some insight!



> All fluorescent bulbs flicker. How fast they flicker depends on which kind of ballast they have: magnetic or electronic. (The ballast attaches to the bulb, functions as a starter, and regulates the amount of electrical current flowing to the bulb.) Older fluorescents have magnetic ballasts and flicker at about 60 cycles per second. Electronic ballasts makes the flicker a lot faster - 30,000 cycles per second -- so it's reported to be too fast for a human to perceive at all. Gaiam, a company selling CF light bulbs, says that using electronic ballast completely addresses the problems usually caused by fluorescent light. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (not trying to sell anything) says that switching to electronic ballast has reduced the number of complaints by 50%.


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## 61*north (Jun 20, 2010)

Nope. Not normal... and the cycling that Seattle mentions is right at the limit of perception for some folks at 60cycles. Beyond perception for most.

If you can visibly notice that they're going off for a moment every once in a while there's something wrong for sure. I'd check the following items as you've already checked your electrical connections:

1) Check the 'tombstone' connection at the end of the lamp. Normally if there's a problem it's that the connection is loose or worse yet that one of the pins was broken upon insertion.

2) Check the label on the ballast to insure that it's rated to light the lamp you've installed at the voltage you've got it connected to. Also note the number of lamps the ballast is rated to operate simultaneously.

Just for grins I'd connect something else up to that receptacle, too, that is known to work properly... like an incandescent trouble light, etc. Something that will eliminate your need to wonder about the recep at all.


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## Daniil (Oct 30, 2009)

I agree with _61*north_ for the loose wire or connection.

One of my fluorescent bulbs flickered every time I touched canopy and the was a loose wire connection at the end of the lamp.:frusty:


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## rpmsongs (Aug 22, 2010)

It should be an electronic ballast. They're both rated for these lights, and both the same ballast, one's newer. Maybe I wasn't very clear. it actually looks like a really fast waving in the light. I can see it clearly with my BLUEBLOCKERS(sunglasses from the 80's). They block the blue wavelength and everything around it making it easy to stare at the lights(and the sun) for a while. 

But with the glasses off it just looks like a really fast shimmering. Not actually blinking. The only cause for concern I have is that I know a bit about vibrations and light is a vibration, and when you start throwing a new vibration in there it may be a symptom that there is something coming out of the light other than the advertised wavelengths.


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## 61*north (Jun 20, 2010)

If you're referring to a dark spot oscillating back and forth between the electrodes on each end of the lamp... that may be caused by a static charge. Run your hand lengthwise from one end of the lamp to the other a time or two.

If you're referring to a generally inconsistent but completely operational lamp that is new, know that they generally need to be broken in for lack of a better term. The old instructions were to "burn" the lamps in which often meant leaving them on for somewhere between 8 and 24 hours without turning them off.

If your referring to something that may not be completely electrical in nature we will have exceeded my depth.



rpmsongs said:


> It should be an electronic ballast.


Trust but verify.


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## rpmsongs (Aug 22, 2010)

Well, i pulled my old ballast apart and it was full of triacs capacitors resistors etc. but it was completely encased in insulation which made it more difficult to fix than ordering a new one for $12. so probably electronic. going to go look at schematics of magnetic ballasts now. Thanks. I'm a nerd.


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## 61*north (Jun 20, 2010)

Did it have a part number and mfg name on it? There are three basic fluorescent ballast types; magnetic, hybrid, and fully electronic. 

The old mag ballast are heavy. Roughly the weight of a good sized hardbound book for lack of a better reference. Most of the electronic ballast are very light weight; more like the rough weight of a typical desktop mouse. Hybrids are in the middle but lean toward the heavier side.

That 'insulation' assuming it was a solid material is called "potting" and it's used in part to make the unit less susceptible to moisture. If you're pretty sure the ballast you had was defective it might be worth contacting the manufacturer of the ballast directly. The guy you bought it from might say that it's out of his warranty period but the typical ballast manufacturer will commonly give you a year. Might be a little bit of a hassle chasing 'em down for twelve bucks but an email wouldn't hurt.

Good luck.


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