Hello,

I had the light bulbs go out in one of my kitchen floursecant lamp fixtures. I purchased new bulbs, thinking that would fix the problem. The lights do not come one when new bulbs are installed. I switched working floursecant bulbs from another fixture into the non-working fixture and they did not work either. This has lead me to believe the problem is the actual fixture. What is the next most logical step in solving the problem? Replacing the ballasts? Or something different?

Thanks for your help!

Most likely the problem is the ballast. Would be good use use a volt meter at the fixture to be sure the problem is not a switch or some other unlikely problem.

Lee Ann,

Did you hang a meter on the switch to see if you are getting the 110 VAC from the source line?

Also, check around and make sure that the light fixture is not connected (improperly) to a GFCI. If it is make sure the GFCI hasn't popped, then check the CB on the panel box to make sure it didn't open up on you. If you have the 110 at the wall switch then disregard this paragraph.


It's time to move in the other direction and make sure the ballast is getting the 110. If you are using 48" bulds, you may actually two ballasts in the ceiling. To get at the ballasts, you have to remove the lens cover and bulds. With power off at the switch, remove the cover over the ballasts. I would expect that you have a Black/White pairing supplying the source voltage. There should be another Black/White pair taking the source down to the wall switch and back to the lamp. <the two black wires should be joined together with a wire nut. > <The White wire coming back from the switch should have a band of black tape around it to let you know that it now a "Load" wire instead of a "Return" wire. That wire should connect to the Black on the lamp. All Green wires if there are any should be tied together with a wire nut. All bare wires should be tied together to the grounding nut on the fixture. Once again, hook one meter lead to the bare wires and one meter lead to the Black/White wBlack tape. Turn the switch on.

Voltage deflection on the meter = Ballast (s) are dead. No meter deflection,= open circuit coming up to lamp.