Odd lighting problem

[dmolavi]

I've recently been experiencing problems with my fluorescent light (single tube) for my tank. For the past 3 days, when the timer that the light is connected to is supposed to turn the light on, the light stays dark. It isn't until I turn the fixture upside down that it turns on.

Has anyone experienced similar issues? I don't think it's the ballast, as the light turns on quickly when it works, no flicker, no buzzing. The tube is new, as well (had an old 5200K tube, replaced with an 18000K tube last week). The timer is a digital timer plugged into the wall, and turns on everything else the way it should. I'm wondering if the fixture is shot, or if it could be something else.

 

[Phish]

Sounds like a short somewhere. You said when you flip it it turns on but in regular position it stays off if I'm understanding right. The cord probably got pinched at some point. That could be dangerous not just for the fish but for you and where you live for possibility of a fire. Maybe call customer service?

 

[dmolavi]

Sounds like a short somewhere. You said when you flip it it turns on but in regular position it stays off if I'm understanding right. The cord probably got pinched at some point. That could be dangerous not just for the fish but for you and where you live for possibility of a fire. Maybe call customer service?

Once it's on from a flip, it stays on, and can be turned on/off normally. If it were a short/open somewhere, it should be repeatable every time the lamp power cycles. But it only happens when the thing turns on initially in the morning (that being said, this morning, I did a manual override on the timer, and it came on just fine...as an engineer, inconsistency in things like this drive me bonkers).

 

[Phish]

Maybe the timer isn't providing consistent power? From my understanding it would only turn on once flipped over( with the bulbs facing up). Hopefully resetting the timer will work as a permanent solution.

 

[54seaweed]

think the singles have a starter in them

prob has corrosion in it

 

[dmolavi]

It seems to have resolved itself. I will look into the ballast and starter, just in case...

 

[ezy33]

It sounds like a starter or corroded connections. Some electronic timers won't fire fluorescent lights.

 

[dmolavi]

Problem solved...normal fluorescent tubes just rotate in until they click one time, this particular fixture clicked in twice. I wonder if it's because of the environment it's in, but that was the problem.