Energy-saving bulb

[LSainsbury]

Evening,

We have some energy-saving bulbs in the living room. One of them has "stopped working" (I'm not saying blown for the reason you'll read below).

I've just changed it for a new bulb and it didn't work. So - I changed it for a known working bulb - and it still didn't work.

The connector in which the bulb clicks into is quite large and I'm not sure if that part could go wrong. (I can't for the life of me remember what that bit is called!)

Could this bit be duff?

There are two lights in the living room and I assume they are on the same circuit so I don't think thats at fault.

BTW - the bulb looks like this - the ones we have are a bit longer.

Any ideas??

[altis]

Ballast?

Yes, if the bulb separates from its circuitry then it sounds like the circuitry has gone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp

[Hom3r]

Silly question have you checked the fuse box?

[LSainsbury]

Originally Posted by altis

Ballast?

Yes, if the bulb separates from its circuitry then it sounds like the circuitry has gone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp

Is that what the connection thing is called? OK - goes Googling...!

---------- Post added at 20:54 ---------- Previous post was at 20:53 ----------

Originally Posted by Hom3r

Silly question have you checked the fuse box?

Yep - reset the trip for the downstairs lights...

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

Silly question have you checked the fuse box?

More than one room would fail if that was the case

---------- Post added at 20:56 ---------- Previous post was at 20:54 ----------

Originally Posted by lsainsbury

Is that what the connection thing is called? OK - goes Googling...!

No, ballast is the thing that stores charge in order to give it a surge to start it

---------- Post added at 20:56 ---------- Previous post was at 20:56 ----------

Have you tried a standard bulb?

[LSainsbury]

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

More than one room would fail if that was the case

---------- Post added at 20:56 ---------- Previous post was at 20:54 ----------



No, ballast is the thing that stores charge in order to give it a surge to start it

---------- Post added at 20:56 ---------- Previous post was at 20:56 ----------

Have you tried a standard bulb?

Right ok - so possibly a connection fault - great.

Standard bulb? No - it has a weird connection - 4 pins and a piece of plastic - like the one in Post #1

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

I assume the socket can take a standard bulb?

[LSainsbury]

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

I assume the socket can take a standard bulb?

Nope - it's an odd bulb - not sure what the connector is called.

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

what does it plug into then? ceiling light, wall light, lamp thats plugged into a 13amp three pin socket?

[LSainsbury]

Here we go - better picture:

[altis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Elektronstarterp.jpg

and

http://www.lyco.co.uk/categories/Pin...htm?catID=1890

[LSainsbury]

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

what does it plug into then? ceiling light, wall light, lamp thats plugged into a 13amp three pin socket?

It's a ceiling light...

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

im confused then, your saying that you have a ceiling light that cant take a standard bulb? Never seen that before

[LSainsbury]

Hold on - camera is coming out now...

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

I suspect someone has changed these in the past and that there will be a ballast hidden in the ceiling which as Altis said has probably failed