Diagnosing a CFL tube light fixture ....

CoconutPete

1979 XS650 Special
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Does anyone have any input?

I had one of those giant 4-tube, 2-ballast "operating room" type of fixtures in my kitchen.

We tore it out and put some more "easy on the eyes" fixtures in the kitchen.

I stuck the old one in the garage.

2 of the tubes come on right away. The other 2 take a while. Seems like they have a mood of their own. A few times they didn't come on, one time one was on, the second one was at half strength etc.

How do you diagnose these things? Does the tube go bad slowly? Or should I be thinking ballast?

From when I was a kid I remember they used to have these little things called ignitors. They were little cylindrical things, but I can't find any of those either.
 
Hi Pete,
pretend it's a bike. Swap the tubes over.
If the problem stays on the same side it's a failing ballast.
If the problem moves over, it's the tubes.
How long were those tubes lighting up your kitchen anyway?
most likely it's re-tube time.
Industry standard is to re-tube every 2,000 hours.
 
Swap tubes as suggested, if tubes are faulty and the fitting is a switch start type replace the starters as well. Instant type fittings don't have starters.
 
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