My flu lamp died

probably the choke has got too hot, and either you have a winding to core short, or some pvc run past it and now gives a live or neutral to chassis short. I imagine opening it up will reveal all..

Old wound fluorescent chokes ran hot in normal use. Under faulty conditions they get even hotter. Screw-u-fix used to sell old style fluorescent fittings but only L.E.D. types now, but fleabay lists new fluoescent fittings, old stock but new and unused. I recently had a brain meltdown and bought 10 x 4 footers as some of my customers prefer them for kitchens or garages etc. Or they want the original replaced if it becomes faulty. Some modern L.E.D. batten fittings produce a ghostly grey light quality. That is depressing. I like warm white myself, or true white, not grey white or northlight.




Z.

I doubt that use of the fluorescent light fitting on its side killed it, more likely it was old age, poor manufacture, or bad luck. Manufacture of new fittings has probably ceased, but plenty are for sale on fleabay.


An LED replacement would be more efficient, but not everyone likes them. 4 foot 36 watt tubes are still manufactured, 4 foot 40 watt tubes are no longer permitted to be manufactured within, or imported into Europe. Existing stocks may be sold lawfully.


Lamp colour is a matter of personal preference, but in general at low lighting levels, a warmer light is often preferred, and at higher lighting levels cool white or daylight may be preferred.

A room dimly lit  with cool white or daylight lamps is often considered to look "sad" or "gloomy" or "grey" and disliked. A similar lighting level from warm white lamps is often considered to look "warm" or "attractive"


8 foot lamps are no longer permitted to be manufactured in, or imported into Europe, and whilst existing stocks may be sold lawfully, availability is declining and prices substantially increased. I suggest purchasing a spare 8 foot lamp, or planning for a new light fitting.

Thanks guys I have some 8 foot tubes hidden away for future use if needed although its not certain if I will outlive the tube or it will outlive me. But that aside the fitting that burnt up was very hot  thinking about it because it tripped the rcd for that circuit and didn't blow a 3 amp plug fuse it seems like its a partial breakdown to earth somewhere in the choke. I will have a look on fleabay  to get a new one although I've got a spare 2 foot tube in the shed which if it works will do almost as well.

BTW, if insect pests are a problem in your area, it can be worth use of a yellow fluorescent tube, at least during the summer months. Yellow wont attract most insects.

New 8 ft. tubes are worth about 25 quid each.


whose 8000 -9000 lumen output  when new  compares with a pair of twin  4 ft LED fittings. at 4400 lumen each.


or a pair of the 4 ft  Ebay HF ballast conventional tubes.

The LED lights are more expensive,  but the gap is closing.


Mike.

Kelly


I replaced my under cupboard fluorescent kitchen lights with LED ribbons and drivers from Screwfix. Drivers by Aurora. Low profile compared with fluorescents. Ribbons run full lengths of the cupboards and cut to length with scissors. Cleaned off surfaces with meths before sticking ribbons on. Look good and not to expensive.

Kitchen lighting is an interesting subject. We have a pair of 5 ft double tubes, but they do blow with monotonous frequency. I would never install them from scratch in my own kitchen. They are ugly!


I don't quite see the point in dangling lamps.


Which leaves down-lighters, but how many? Daughter calls them Heathrow landing lights. They need to be close enough so that the puddles of light merge, so in a square room, 9 seemed better than 4. I don't think that I over-did them, but they are bright. A slightly lower wattage may have been better. (Dimmers are ruled out because young madam wanted toggle switches. ? )


If you have high level cupboards (Daughter won't have them ?? ) I appreciate that under-lighting as JP mentions may be useful. Frankly though, it really is not to my taste and we manage perfectly well without.

Here at broadgage towers, I have mains voltage lighting track along the middle of the kitchen ceiling, track fittings originally fitted with CFL R80 type lamps and now LEDs. 6  lamps each 8 watts IIRC.


Under the cupboards are two fittings intended for tungsten striplight lamps but fitted with LED lamps. These are on the UPS for power cuts.

In the archway from the kitchen to the former dining room (now a spare bedroom) is a decorative wall bracket with a small LED lamp, also on the UPS.