[spookyu]

Hello! New here, just bought our first house and on the garage/out building is a fairly new, simple light controlled 4 pin CFL light fixture. Was working just fine (came on every night as it got dark) until it didn't one night. Figured it was the bulb, went out, checked it, current bulb had a crack in it, got a new bulb from the store (specifically a GX24-G4 as the sticker on the light specified I use). Now when I tried out the new bulb I got a strange response: plugged it in, bulb came partially on for about 1 to 2 seconds then flickered out. Tried it again, same result, it is completely repeatable. Wiring is all intact, didn't break open the fixture itself but everything up to it I could inspect. It's my understanding these newer fluorescent fixtures don't use a starter but instead a ballast? Is this normal behavior for a bad ballast? Think it'd be reasonable to replace the ballast or is there another more likely cause? Thanks for the help!

 

[jbberns]

If you have another fixture to test the bulb on to make sure it's good, would be good. Sounds like it is a bad ballast though.

 

[spookyu]

No afraid I don't, otherwise I would have. You think it is a bad ballast though? They're relatively simple to replace right?

 

[jbberns]

Pretty easy to change, but that Depends on the person doing it.

 

[Dierte]

They can be a pita in those cans due to space but they are pretty straight forward

 

[spookyu]

Awesome, thanks for the troubleshooting help.