Is it possible to use a single 4ft. fluorescent bulb instead of two?

[balloonshark]

My mothers kitchen light quit working. It's a 4ft. fluorescent light with 2 bulbs. I only have 1 new bulb and she can't get to the store until next week. Is it possible/safe to use one bulb for the time being?

Edit: I think I may have found the answer. It looks like it depends on the way the fixture is wired or the ballast. I guess some newer lights are able to use on bulb.

 

[Paperdoc]

Almost all such fixtures only work with 2 tubes installed. SOME seem to be able to partially-light only one tube. But with a failing 2-tube fixture and only one spare, I would replace ONL:Y the one that obviously has failed and leave the other old one in place for now. Almost always they do not BOTH fail at the same time. THEN you have time to get a second and install that, which I recommend you DO. If one tube of a pair fails, the other will soon, also. So get ahead of it and replace them both.

 

[Red Squirrel]

From what I seen most modern fixtures will work with just 1. I see plenty at work where 1 bulb burnt and other works. But it does depend on how it's wired I think, since I have also seen some that require both bulbs to work.

That's T8 fixtures though, not sure if T12s are different. Those have interesting failure modes. Seen some glow a really eerie dim red colour.

 

[balloonshark]

Thanks for your input. One of the bulbs wasn't lighting at all and the other was only lighting up on the ends and looked like the light was flickering multicolored fire. Those 3" to 4" end sections were also warm. I think the fixture if fairly new so maybe she can pick up a couple bulbs tonight.

 

[BoomerD]

In my garage, I have 2 fluorescent fixtures. One is a 4' fixture with 2 bulbs...only one working. The other is a double 4' fixture (8') with 2 bulbs in one end...only one working.
i have a couple of LED shop lights from Costco that I want to put in their place...but they'll require me to wire in duplex outlets to use properly...and I'm farkin lazy...

 

[balloonshark]

Good to know yours work with one bulb. It kinda wish I had the LED type.

I'm pretty sure the 4ft light I have doesn't work with one bulb. It's an old fixture though that sometimes doesn't want to come on when the temps get close to 90. I eventually get it to start and it works fine once it's on. It's done that for years.

 

[IronWing]

Various schools I have attended had money saving policies of removing half the bulbs to save on electricity. The remaining bulbs worked fine. Annoying as f’ but it worked.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Actually now that you mention it my hospital had done that, it was some kind of retro fit, not sure what kind of bulbs they used but the single bulb they put in was brighter than the two T8's. I wonder if it was a T5.

 

[BoomerD]

Good to know yours work with one bulb. It kinda wish I had the LED type.

I'm pretty sure the 4ft light I have doesn't work with one bulb. It's an old fixture though that sometimes doesn't want to come on when the temps get close to 90. I eventually get it to start and it works fine once it's on. It's done that for years.

My existing fixtures are fluorescents...I have some LED fixtures that I want to use to replace the existing ones...but I haven't done it yet.

 

[spacejamz]

My existing fixtures are fluorescents...I have some LED fixtures that I want to use to replace the existing ones...but I haven't done it yet.

I switched my single incandescent fixture in my garage to a four 4' bulb fixture that works with LED's...

have 4 of 4000k dayligh bulbs:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SSNPGSC

So much better now...

 

[Red Squirrel]

I love the "daylight" spectrum bulbs myself. I've been meaning to set up two dual bulb fixtures in my office actually and I will go daylight route. I feel LED still has a way to go before I consider it, it's not so much the tech, but the availability. I can buy a T8 fixture, then pick the bulb spectrum I want. With LED you get whatever is there and it's slim pickings. The selection is just not as wide yet. Also not a fan of fixtures with built in bulbs. I want to be able to replace only the bulb if it goes bad without having to replace the whole fixture, as I might not be able to get a matching one later.

 

[mindless1]

Yes the semi-modern ballasts can run a single bulb. They're usually wired like this: