Electrical advice

[Steve K]

I have a problem with the lights in my workshop. I flipped the three way switch the other day and the fluorescent lights just flickered. I have three eight foot ballast and two four foot ballast light fixtures. Thinking it may be the ballast gone bad I disconnected all the fixtures one at a time, but kept them hot. One of the four foot lights came on but when I disconnected that one the other came on. I changed the 15 amp breaker, nothing. This same hot wire feeds a switch to two fans which run at a very low speed. What can be darning the power?
Thanks for reading my comments.

 

[arjay]

A loose neutral at the meter?

 

[Tom Beavert]

Steve, measure the voltage from the red then black wires to the white, let us know what you get. You will have to flip the other switch.
Tom B.

 

[Rustyt1953]

This reminded me that my first shop was in an old building that had 8' fluorescent tubes with PCB ballasts. When those things would overheat and burn it took at least a day to get that horrible smell out.

I never forget that odor.

 

[Alton]

If you have 120v at each fixture and since the ballast and lamps sounds like they are old buy the new self ballast LED lamps, remove the ballast and run then directly to the 120v. If you do not feel comfortable call a licensed contractor.

 

[Sarge9]

If you have good 120 volt power to ballast, upgrade all.
don't spend anymore time/money IMO
Contractor/ESI here.

 

[Steve K]

I have an electrician coming. I hope it is a simple solution.

 

[Sarge9]

Just have him change it all out and be done w/it.
Don't pay 2 hrs messing w/old ballast, ect.

Adder: If money allows, get price on surge unit at your main
panel. Required now and your equipment will last longer.
Washer/Dryer ECT. Do cascade protection for all electronics.
(main, outlet) YMMV

 

[cfplinker]

I was having problems with the fluorescent lights in the kitchen of my 40+ year old house. Yes they were original to the house and over the years I had replaced the tubes, one ballast, and the tombstones that the tubes go in to. I had an electrician take out the entire fixtures, and install duplex receptacles. I hung new 4' led fixtures and only just plugged them in to the new receptacles. Since they don't have any parts that can be replaced if (when) they go bad all I will need to do is take them down and plug the new ones in.

 

[DWalt]

Several years ago I replaced every fluorescent tube in my house and garage (something like 30 of them) with LED tubes by removing the ballasts in the existing fixtures. I wanted nothing more to do with ballasts ever again.

 

[CH4]

220, 221 whatever it takes...

 

[Alton]

Just have him change it all out and be done w/it.
Don't pay 2 hrs messing w/old ballast, ect.

Adder: If money allows, get price on surge unit at your main
panel. Required now and your equipment will last longer.
Washer/Dryer ECT. Do cascade protection for all electronics.
(main, outlet) YMMV

All of our services built get surge protective device. It is amazing how clients will call and thank us after a lightning storm because their neighbors lost a bunch of their electronics, and they lost nothing.

 

[mudcat100]

LED's

You can get bypass led lamps which will use voltages from 120vac to 277vac which will eliminate ballast. Wired straight to the tombstone (lamp sockets). Hot to one side and neutral to the other on same the tombstone, but you may have to change them on one end to fit your lamp. Very simple and available at any electrical supply house. There will be two unused tombstones on one end as they will be just holders for the lamp. Good thing is, you'll probably never have to change them again for the rest of your life

 

[chief38]

Do yourself a favor - replace the fluorescents with LEDS. You will solve your issue and ultimately save money and keep the shop cooler. A win-win.

 

[Steve K]

Thanks for the advice. The electrician spent about one hour diagnosing the problem and found it to be a broken lead from the house to the shop. The break was at the bottom of the PVC pipe covering the wires so it was easier than digging up the yard. Eight hours and $1050 later the problem was solved. I will replace the fluorescent lights with LEDs.
Thanks again for all the good advice.

 

[BigBoy99]

Do yourself a favor - replace the fluorescents with LEDS. You will solve your issue and ultimately save money and keep the shop cooler. A win-win.

Absolutely RIGHT. Get rif of the old fluorescents and replace with LEDs. LEDs much brighter and much less heat.

Don't waste mony on getting an electrician in. Just replace the old fluorescents.