Do lights with emergency backup fail faster than normal ones

[danrich123]

Hi,

I had a look a job last week where numerous fittings had failed. I don't know how long they had been off, but I presumed they had all gone over time.
All the fittings (7x) were 55w PL type lamps with emergency backup. There didn't seem anything wrong with the ballasts. The store had a similar type fitting but 40w PL type (no emrgency backup) and none of them were out.
Is the life of fluorescents reduced by emergency backup?

Cheers

 

[Iggifer]

I don't see why they should do. I find fittings with ballasts vs HF control gear fail more often due to the heat. The battery has no effect until there is a power failure.

And of course, higher wattage lamps do not tend to last as long as lower wattage ones

 

[Lectrician]

Have noticed the same with some fittings.

 

[danrich123]

I've been back to the job today and I have to admit I think I've got it wrong, I always get confused with ballasts with emergency back ups so abit more help may be needed.

Better description - all the problem fittings are PL-L type lamps 2x55w, with an electronic ballast and a separate emergency module. both lamps are out, when in normal operation. when power is cut, 1 lamp comes on very faintly.
I've changed the electronic ballast and both lamps. Now one lamp comes on in normal operation and when power is cut the other comes on very faintly.
I don't get why the second lamp wouldn't come on during normal functioning (or am I being numb). I find it unlikely that both the ballast and module would both be faulty on 5 different fittings (there's only 12 of these in the store)

cheers

 

[seasickstevie]

Are you sure the fittings are intended for 55w lamps?

I think in some maintained fittings with two lamps, only one is powered by the battery - I presume the reason is if both were powered in emergency mode, they'd not last long enough.

 

[danrich123]

Yes they're meant for 55w. Only 1 of the lamps is powered by the battery, with both lamps on normally.

I just don't want to end up changing everything, when tbh I ain't sure of the issue.

 

[Iggifer]

are the fittings wired correctly?

If it's a sustained fitting you may need to take a live and a switched live to the control gear

If it's just a maintained fitting and you've changed the lamps and the ballasts then there's either a break in a cable or the ballast is not wired correctly, because battery backup aside, that's basically the whole fitting you've changed already.

Is it one ballast for both lamps or one ballast each?

 

[danrich123]

It's the 1 ballast for both lamps.
Could I just be unlucky and the 1st fitting I change the electronic ballast on has another fault.
I'll try changing the ballast in another fitting and see if that one works.
I am just struggling to get my head round how 7 of these fittings are all out, and would/could the emergency module have any bearing on the light not working

 

[trevmai]

Are the light fittings made by Hilclare by any chance?

 

[333rocky333]

You should have tried changing the emer/module rather than the ballast, they basicly work like 3 or 4 relays and break the wires to the lampholders and divert one lamp to battery power, thats why ones dim and one off, when not working properly in mains mode they dont always complete the circuit possibly to one or more holders, thus both lamps dont light as the normal ballast needs both lamps in circuit to work.
Even faulty modules can sometimes still light the one lamp in emergency via the battery

First thing to check is the two lives, (one switched and one unswitched)
PLL twins are not generaly found wired as permanent maintained