Curly Q Flourescents

[Fla._Deadheader]

Yesterday, I bought a set of 3 Curly Q type screw in Flourescent Bulbs. Got home and changed out 3 75 watt Incandescent Bulbs with the 25 watt Curly Q's.

  One of those new bulbs is flashing, about every 30 seconds or so ???  Switch is off, no juice going to it that I can tell, but, it flashes.

  We have some larger bugs down here, with flashing capabilities, and, I first thought this was one of them.  ???  I don't like the flashing, for fear that the bulb will quit working way before it's projected life estimate.

  Do these bulbs have a capacitor of some sort in them, and, that is what starts the vapors excitement ???  Could this capacitor be leaking and false starting the vapors ???  HOW does this extra bit of energy actually charge the cap, if indeed it does have one, with the switch off ???

  Tonight, I am going to physically remove one leg of the wires connected to the switch ???

  Inquiring mind NEEDS to know  : : ;D

[beenthere]

Harold
Does this bulb do it when unscrewed, or when in circuit on a different switch?   (seems easier to test than removing a leg)

[Warbird]

Sounds to me like a fixture problem, not a bulb problem.  Be careful!

[Modat22]

could be the wrong neutral is switched instead of the hot wire, or you have static, or some nice radioactive material close by.

if you're ever holding a fluorescent tube in a thunderstorm and it starts glowing, hit the ground.

[Warbird]

Fast test is what BT suggested, swap 2 of these bulbs with each other.  If the flashing stays with the same fixture, you know it is a wiring/fixture problem.

If the flashing stays with the same bulb in a different fixture, then I really want to know what it is!

[isawlogs]

   Another quick test Harold would be to wet your finger , turn the switch off and go to the fixture with that wet finger pointing to ....... ;D

I don't know ifthey would have a capaciter in um or not ,  :-\ :P  But switching the bulbwith another would be what I would do .  ;)

[Fla._Deadheader]

Swapped 2 bulbs around. Problem is in the line or fixture ???  Timed the flashes at 33 seconds, give or take looking for the second hand on the watch  : :

  What could possible be causing that at regular pulse times ???

  Only other thing on this line is bathroom light socket and switch ??? : :

[beenthere]

As mentioned, maybe check to see if the hot wire is the one being switched. Might be the neutral side switched, and the hot one is shorting out, after going through the light, to ground giving a trickle of voltage.  ??   Just a thought.

Maybe the pulse effect is some charge building up in the bulb that fires at 30 seconds. That is a WAG 

[DanG]

You sure we're not related, Harold?  I don't ever have any normal problems either.  Always gotta be something wierd. :

[Warbird]

It sounds to me like you have a small short in the fixture that is enough to slowly charge the ballast in these new bulbs until it 'fires' briefly, consuming the tiny bit of accumulated charge.  My guess is it was never enough current to light up a standard bulb, therefore you never noticed it.

If you have a meter handy, do some testing.  Just be careful. 

[Gary_C]

As others have said, the most likely cause is the neutral wire is being switched not the hot line. That is a very dangerous situation because you can become the ground and that is not good. check you wiring carefully as meters can be deceiving when you don't have a good ground. The best way is to run a separate ground wire to use just for having a good reference.

[Chico]

If the wiring and the electric co is like it was in SO America you could have some surges overriding some old breakers  May not be grounded correctly to begin with we had to ground our system in Brazil course we wire running off generators but we had a lot of problems with surges and the breakers Those bulbs have a type of ballast in them but I don't think they have a capacitor of any type Just food for thought
Chico

[Fla._Deadheader]

If y'all were to see how they wire houses down here, I doubt if any of ya wood sleep well. ???

  All wires can be the same color. They never heard of Romex, and, just tie a knot where the wires join. That's "Good Enuff"  : : :

  I have done most of the rewiring, but, not this one line. I have to get over the ceiling, and, IT is suspended by 1 X 2's. Mostly why I never changed it out.

  Funny part is, I DID have a Curly Q bulb in that fixture for 2 years, and switched it out for a 60 watt, so I could use the curly Q in the shop. That's only been 3 months ago ???  THAT one never flashed ???  Course, THESE are all hecho en Cheena  : : >:( >:(

  Thought y'all would preshiate the thread, EH ???

  Dan, everything I get into is different. Remember all the weird computer stuff I keep asking about  : : : :

[crtreedude]

Yeah, the older homes can be a trip down here. The reason why my first act of remolding is a bulldozer. It ends up being cheaper.  :

[maple flats]

I never had any problems like that but I have many of those curly bulbs. I do not ever get as many hours use as they claim. I have all new wiring (all less that 30 yrs) but the curly bulbs die young, I also have a few reg circular bulbs that last a lot longer. I have been doubting if the curlies really save any money because I spend so much on replacement bulbs. I have some the last less than 12 mo. and they are turned off when not needed.

[Fla._Deadheader]

From my days climbing poles, I know there are sharp high voltage spikes on the electric lines. I will ALWAYS believe that they are a primary causes of short life spans in light bulbs and appliances, in SOME locations.

  Down here, we are constantly bombarded with spikes, and momentary outages, some that are milliseconds and several in a 5 second time span.

  Really good for the fridge motor.  : : :

  I'm slowly putting together an electric supply of my own, and will only use commercial electricity when I absolutely have to.

  Flourescents are probably better off to leave burning.

  We get 2 years out of the circle single tube screw-ins in our kitchen. TOO many off-on-off cycles in our house  : :