why does my fluorescent light bulb keep blowing out?

[gwlam12]

why does my fluorescent light bulb keep blowing out? this is the 2nd one i have that burned out. the first one burned out within a month. this one lasted a little over a week. i'm using a torchiere lamp that supports 3 levels of brightness at 50-100-150 watts. the fluorescent bulb i use supports 3 levels of brightness as well. so i assume they're compatible. so does anyone know why it keeps blowing out?

and does anyone know if walmart will accept my bulb back even though i dont have receipt or packaging.

 

[optoman]

You have a bad ballast.

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: optoman
You have a bad ballast.

eh? please explain further. is the ballast the thing that connects the bulb to the socket? i mean, is the ballast hte socket?

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: optoman
You have a bad ballast.

eh? please explain further. is the ballast the thing that connects the bulb to the socket? i mean, is the ballast hte socket?

The ballast is what converts the house AC into what the bulbs need. It's built into the holder/enclosure usually.

 

[gwlam12]

i think i understand...so would this affect all the lamps in the house then? cuz the bulbs in other rooms aren't breaking.

but then again, they aren't 3-way bulbs either (even though the lamp itself is).

i just took a bulb from another room and stuck it in mine to see if it will break as well

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

poltergiest

 

[GeekDrew]

no, the ballast is part of the lamp itself... not the light bulb, the lamp.
in some lamps, it can easily be replaced. in others... it's not possible to replace the ballast without replacing the entire lamp.

thus, it would not affect anything besides the lamp itself.

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: yamahaXS
poltergiest

yea, speaking of poltergeists, the lights in the other room goes off and on when my friend jumps on his bed.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: gwlam12
i think i understand...so would this affect all the lamps in the house then? cuz the bulbs in other rooms aren't breaking.

but then again, they aren't 3-way bulbs either (even though the lamp itself is).

i just took a bulb from another room and stuck it in mine to see if it will break as well

No, the ballast is built into each individual light fixture/lamp. It's just an extra part between the plug and the bulbs that makes them work correctly.

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
no, the ballast is part of the lamp itself... not the light bulb, the lamp.
in some lamps, it can easily be replaced. in others... it's not possible to replace the ballast without replacing the entire lamp.

thus, it would not affect anything besides the lamp itself.

thanks. that really cleared things up.

$10 lamp from home depot. no big loss if it needs replacing . bummer, though.

 

[optoman]

I would be careful using the lamp if it is eating away the bulbs. We had a ballast go in our apartment complex and it set off the fire alarm. The week before it went, it was flickering like nuts but the maintenance guy said it was nothing. I would of been pissed if they burned down my apartment. It just blew and charred the ceiling.

How old is the lamp?

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: optoman
I would be careful using the lamp if it is eating away the bulbs. We had a ballast go in our apartment complex and it set off the fire alarm. The week before it went, it was flickering like nuts but the maintenance guy said it was nothing. I would of been pissed if they burned down my apartment. It just blew and charred the ceiling.

How old is the lamp?

bought it at the end of june.

i just stuck in a third light bulb. this one isn't a 3-way like the other two were. if this one blows too, i will definitely replace the lamp. however, as of now, i am only considering it as i am strapped for cash.

 

[optoman]

Take it back to home depot and tell them the problem. See if they will give a free bulb for the one that burnt out.

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: optoman
Take it back to home depot and tell them the problem. See if they will give a free bulb for the one that burnt out.

no receipt, think they'll stil take it?

edit: nm, im reading their store policy at their website. no receipt gives me store credit. good enough. thanks for the advice.

too bad i dont have receipt, esp since im allowed 90 days to return it

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: optoman
Take it back to home depot and tell them the problem. See if they will give a free bulb for the one that burnt out.

no receipt, think they'll stil take it?

edit: nm, im reading their store policy at their website. no receipt gives me store credit. good enough. thanks for the advice.

too bad i dont have receipt, esp since im allowed 90 days to return it

How does this work?

 

[IamElectro]

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: optoman
Take it back to home depot and tell them the problem. See if they will give a free bulb for the one that burnt out.

no receipt, think they'll stil take it?

edit: nm, im reading their store policy at their website. no receipt gives me store credit. good enough. thanks for the advice.

too bad i dont have receipt, esp since im allowed 90 days to return it

How does this work?

Cash back if returned within 90 days with receipt. No receipt then you receive store credit. I have returned extra supplies from my house remodeling to Home Depot and Lowes long past 90 days for storecredit. Just make sure you have the original packaging.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: gwlam12
i think i understand...so would this affect all the lamps in the house then? cuz the bulbs in other rooms aren't breaking.

but then again, they aren't 3-way bulbs either (even though the lamp itself is).

i just took a bulb from another room and stuck it in mine to see if it will break as well

No, the ballast is built into each individual light fixture/lamp. It's just an extra part between the plug and the bulbs that makes them work correctly.

no it depends.

compact flourecents = balast included.

just a tube? then no ballast.

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: IamElectro

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: optoman
Take it back to home depot and tell them the problem. See if they will give a free bulb for the one that burnt out.

no receipt, think they'll stil take it?

edit: nm, im reading their store policy at their website. no receipt gives me store credit. good enough. thanks for the advice.

too bad i dont have receipt, esp since im allowed 90 days to return it

How does this work?

Cash back if returned within 90 days with receipt. No receipt then you receive store credit. I have returned extra supplies from my house remodeling to Home Depot and Lowes long past 90 days for storecredit. Just make sure you have the original packaging.

um, nope i dont have original packaging. i guess i will have to make a phone call then to see if i can stil return it.

 

[gwlam12]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: gwlam12
i think i understand...so would this affect all the lamps in the house then? cuz the bulbs in other rooms aren't breaking.

but then again, they aren't 3-way bulbs either (even though the lamp itself is).

i just took a bulb from another room and stuck it in mine to see if it will break as well

No, the ballast is built into each individual light fixture/lamp. It's just an extra part between the plug and the bulbs that makes them work correctly.

no it depends.

compact flourecents = balast included.

just a tube? then no ballast.

mine's a compact fluorescent. so does any info given to me previously change? or is it all the same.

 

[GeekDrew]

hrmmm could you post a link to either the fixture or the lightbulb?

 

[gwlam12]

http://www.lightsofamerica.com/products/compacts1.htm

the fan light is the closest i could get to the bulb. the bulb is manufactured by lights of america.

i couldnt find the fixture at homedepot.com, though.

 

[GeekDrew]

In that case, the ballast is likely contained in the bulb. I'm not sure what could be causing the problem :-/

Someone here correct me if I'm wrong on the ballast likely being the problem. Unless there's a power fluctuation w/ the outlet, or something's wrong with the internal wiring of the lamp...

Drew

 

[gwlam12]

well the light bulb said on it "for use with self-ballasted lights" or something.

anyway, the wal-mart dude told me to stay away from lights of america because they screwed him over or something. i am currently trying a diff lightbulb that doesnt have 3 settings for power. if it blows, then...getting a new lamp. thanks for all the help ppo.