Failing 2D Lamps

[ProDave]

Am office unit I do most of the maintenance for.

Several light fittings using 28W 4 pin 2D lamps were faulty. now the owner likes to buy all his own kit and just pay me for labour (he's paranoid about claiming back the VAT and I'm not VAT registered)

So instead of taking my advice and just buying new gear trays for them, he bought new fittings from CPC

So i fitted them.  It seemed a little odd that when turned on they were not as bright as the old fittings.

2 days later not working, ends of tubes black.  New tubes same thing happens.

I'm telling him now to get those gear trays and I'll refurb the old ones and he can send these back to CPC as faulty.

Am I missing anything obvious? what would cause a 2D lamp to operate dimmer than normal and last only a couple of days?

 

[Evans Electric]

Guessing here Dave ....cheapo pieces of Far Eastern  carp from CPC  perhaps.  With cheapo lamps .   Were they cheap to buy ? 

Were the old ones better quality ...Fern Howards .. old Thorns  etc. ? 

 

[ProDave]

Old ones were Thorn.

The lamps didn't come with the new fittings. He has a box of lamps that work fine in the Thorn fittings but not right in the CPC ones.

I did a similar job recently and I just bought these gear trays and they worked fine http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EMERGENCY-GEAR-TRAY-Universal-Fit-3-Hour-Maintained-Fitting-2D-28W-FREE-POST-/321392632096?pt=UK_BOI_Lights_Lighting_ET&hash=item4ad47e6120

(did I mention these were emergency lights?  the other non emergency ones from CPC work fine)

 

[binky]

sounds like a dodgy batch failing to start tubes up properly.

 

[Evans Electric]

Strange problem Dave  ...  perhaps some losses in the emergency gear ... :C

Those universal Em gear trays look useful  by the way .

Not 16W are they ?  The fittings I mean  !

 

[ProDave]

Checked that. Fittings are all 28W 4 pin 2D

Yes those cheap gear trays looked okay. fitted into a Thorn fitting okay on my other job.

 

[kerching]

I have had no end of trouble with emergency gear trays.

Tend to fail after about 18 months, run in maintained mode and relamped every 6 months.

On one site they were relamped with a different make of lamp, these went all moody after about 3 months. The previous makes looked as good as new after 6 months!

HiSpec, Robus, Fire and Safety........all three of these seem to fail frequently

Just failing

 

[binky]

I normally fit Fern Howard, which seem to last OK

 

[NozSpark]

Why not try and get them to have LED conversions fitted?

 

[Nicky Tesla]

i have a 2d fitting in my bathroom ( robus ). I write on the lamp ( GE 2D Watt Miser) the install date  to see how long it lasts.

The last 4 lamps have only lasted 6 months or less even though on the packaging for the lamp,  it boasts to last 15 years.  

This is clearly a massive overstatement,  but i doubt i can get my money back.

 

[steptoe]

mmmmmm,

I have a 2D Robus Golf HF in my bathroom too,

on all night [for the little lad in case he needs bathroom] , so thats prob an average of >12hrs a day for the last 3years,

I cant remember if its 16/28 or what pin, I think its a 28w/4p , but I could check if you really need to know.

 

[Nicky Tesla]

it is probably the switching on and off that it cannot handle on mine ( HF also)

 

[steptoe]

correction,

wife has just told me she replaced the lamp just before xmas, still, thats about 2&1/2years, dunno what lamp she put in, will have a look tomorrow.

Ive also just noticed this past week one of my GU10 LEDs is flickering on start up,

KOSNIC , 5.4w [i think] , been installed for about 4-5years, again on for maybe close to 10-12hrs/day

works fine when fired, just a 3-4second flicker

 

[binky]

not on with a PIR are they Dave? the lamps like to be on for at least 10mis to warm up properly, so we have found combining with a PIR can destroy lamps.

 

[ProDave]

No not on a PIR

Some of them are in a WC so turned on manually by someone using it (more often than not left on all day)  Others are in a corridor and on 24/7

 

[Evans Electric]

I think the 24/7  situation alters things . 

At the printers I look after  I'm changing the odd twin  5ft  Pop Packs which I've fitted within 2 years  but in that dept. they are on 2/7  . Usually one of the chokes fails ,  always look well cooked.   Always Tridonics sw start.

Fittings I have fitted up in the offices are not failing ...presumably because lights are switched off at 6.00    

 

[binky]

overheating perhaps?

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I fitted some Robus Led bulkheads today, 28w 2D replacements. The paperwork was still for the old 28w lamps and states not to be used with any type of movement sensors unless on for a minimum of 30 min

Just commenting in black

 

[ProDave]

SOLVED

The owner has been putting 38W lamps in 28W fittings.

Strangely the normal fittings seem to work with the wrong tube, but the emergency ones don't.

 

[binky]

didn't think you could, but maybe I'm thinking of 16w V 28w - the pin configuration is usually different.

Bet you are glad you had a look now Dave.