Flashing double D!

[Glenbirnie]

Mother asked me to change the bulb on one of her outside lights at the weekend, there are 4 one on each soffit corner. The bulb type is the Double D or Butterfly compact flurescent tubes.

It was completly off to start so I changed the bulb. But the new bulb only partially lit. So I changed the starter and it fully lit but flashed like a strobe constantly and wouldnt stay on. I tried 3 new starters and the combination of old and new bulb and couldnt get a satisfactory outcome.

Each light fitting has its own transformer (i think, im not very knowlagable on electrics, can do the mechanical side of wiring a plug or replacing items safely but dont understand the workings) in it. Could the transformer be gone?

Lights are probably the original on the house so about 15-20 years old.

Thanks

 

[sparkiemike]

My guess is the fitting is technically and economicaly time expired, replace them

 

[securespark]

Assuming you got the correct wattage of lamp with the correct number of pins and the correct starter, it is a possibility that the fitting is done for.

Can't understand why all 4 would fail in this way, though.

 

[Dave2010]

have you used universal starters?
what wattage are the lamps?

 

[333rocky333]

Was it a 28 watt 4pin 2d, lately ive found the lamps being sold are 24 watt and for some unknown reason they sometimes just flash and will not strike in 28 watt units, yet the fittings work fine with a 28 watt lamp.

The 24w and 28w seem to work fine with most fittings that generally have a 20 watt choke fitted

If its a 16 watt lamp check they have gave you a 16w single lamp starter and not a 4-22w series starter in error

 

[EFLImpudence]

Thread disappointing compared with the topic.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Google image search is your friend...

 

[securespark]

Google image search also disappointing...

 

[Glenbirnie]

It was universal 4-65W starters I was trying.

I must admit I havent checked the wattage of the bulbs, it was dark and snowing at the time and I presumed the odd shaped bulbs like that would all be the same, stupidly!

I will need to check all this.

Are universal starters ok to use with a range of bulb wattages?

 

[securespark]

Check number of pins, too.

As for Google Images, this was the raciest thing it could come up with...

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Thread disappointing compared with the topic.

I totally agree but securespark to the rescue!!

 

[333rocky333]

Are universal starters ok to use with a range of bulb wattages?

Yes 2d are mainly 14w 16w 24w 28w 36w 38w and 55w these are all between the 4w to 65w range of your starter