# Flourescent Light help **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [July 19, 2008, 7:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756 "2008-07-19T07:25:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 7:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/1 "2008-07-19T07:25:12Z")
so one of the lights in my garage crapped out, so i stole a perfectly good one from the basement of my house. well i got it all hooked up and it barely works, i hit the switch and 1/10 times it lights up like 25%. there is 118.5 volts going in and like 2.5 at the bulb contacts. i know the ground to the light is good bc i took a grinder to where the ground screws to the light. i have a hard time believing the ballast just shit out random like that… any ideas or maybe how to test the ballast? tia ---
**Author:** ![tpgsr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tpgsr/32/7374_2.png) [@tpgsr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tpgsr)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/2 "2008-07-19T07:27:43Z")
did you reverse the hot and neutral? Otherwise the ballast is probably dead is there a pink glow when it wont light? ---
**Author:** ![Nikuk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nikuk/32/7254_2.png) [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 7:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/3 "2008-07-19T07:48:43Z")
ballast… ---
**Author:** ![Nikuk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nikuk/32/7254_2.png) [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 7:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/4 "2008-07-19T07:50:04Z")
speaking of garage lighting… is your garage heated in the winter? if not, are the lights rated for winter temps? …it makes a difference. Units that are rated to 10\* (or whatever) will last alot longer then units rated for 60\*+… ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/5 "2008-07-19T09:38:06Z")
yea the garage is def not heated, and the wires are black and white so its kinda hard to mess that up. and when it half turns on its just white but not really bright. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bacon/32/7230_2.png) [@Bacon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bacon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/6 "2008-07-19T09:43:06Z")
Wrong bulbs, ballast, wiring. Really isn’t much to it, it’s quite the simple device. ---
**Author:** ![Bsp\_TC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bsp_tc/32/4998_2.png) [@Bsp\_TC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bsp_TC)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/7 "2008-07-19T09:49:24Z")
ballast ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 9:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/8 "2008-07-19T09:52:53Z")
> [@FuzzyFish](#): > > Wrong bulbs, ballast, wiring. Really isn’t much to it, it’s quite the simple device. yea thats what im thinking, but it worked perfect in my basement 50 feet away. i was hoping for a reset button or something, but i think new ones are like 8 bucks at walmart. i have some of the high end extra bright units that i got off of craigslist. i really didnt want to, but i will prob put one of those down there. i dont want to bc the house is getting sold and its very humid down there (2 level garage) they are for sale if anyone wants any more info, i have like 14 of them. ---
**Author:** ![mechanicalmadness](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mechanicalmadness/32/5022_2.png) [@mechanicalmadness](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mechanicalmadness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/9 "2008-07-19T12:56:48Z")
It could also be a bad igniter or whatever the hell it was called. Look for a little silver aluminum cylinder looking thingy that is sometimes present on older flourescent light fixtures. I believe they were only like 2 or 3 bucks. if that isnt your problem at least you didnt buy a more expensive ballast ---
**Author:** ![tpgsr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tpgsr/32/7374_2.png) [@tpgsr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tpgsr)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/flourescent-light-help/51756/10 "2008-07-19T12:59:21Z")
> [@mechanicalmadness](#): > > It could also be a bad igniter or whatever the hell it was called. Look for a little silver aluminum cylinder looking thingy that is sometimes present on older flourescent light fixtures. I believe they were only like 2 or 3 bucks. if that isnt your problem at least you didnt buy a more expensive ballast If your fixture still has an old magnetic ballast and ignitor, then your best bet is to ditch the T12 fixture and get a T8 that uses F32 ECO bulbs. This will save you energy and is overall better for the environment. It also produces much better light.