ProDarwin
ProDarwin PowerDork
10/28/17 1:34 p.m.

I bought some LED bulbs off ebay.  They are single-end power.  Wiring diagram like this:

 

I wired up my fixture like this:  

 

following this diagram

 

As soon as I flip the breaker (no bulbs in place), I get a buzzing noise from this area  I immediately flipped it off.  I must be having a brain fart.  What am I doing wrong here?

GreenVWs
GreenVWs New Reader
10/28/17 1:48 p.m.

Did you remove the ballast/starter from the fixture?  That's all I can think of since it should be an open circuit without the bulbs.

dculberson
dculberson PowerDork
10/28/17 2:03 p.m.

Make sure your bulb sockets aren't shunted. Check continuity with a multimeter. If they have continuity between the pins when no bulb is in you'll need new sockets. I doubt that's it as it would've been more dramatic if so but it's worth a check. 

TRoglodyte
TRoglodyte UltraDork
10/28/17 2:16 p.m.

You have to remove  the ballast as stated above, Did you get new tombstones with the bulbs? 

Spitsix
Spitsix HalfDork
10/28/17 2:31 p.m.

Shunted socket have 2 holes and un-shunted sockets have 4 holes like the above diagram

oldopelguy
oldopelguy UltraDork
10/28/17 2:35 p.m.

My retrofit bulbs need black from the line on one end of the bulb and white from the line on the other end. Might want to double check your bulbs too.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin PowerDork
10/28/17 2:37 p.m.

My tombstones have 4 holes.  I'll check if they are shunted.  I already removed the ballast.  The bulbs have L and N marked on the same end.

aircooled
aircooled MegaDork
10/28/17 3:33 p.m.

The good news is, if it makes a buzzing noise it almost certainly not a dead short (it should trip the breaker).  The bad news is LED's don't make any noise.

Not sure what to say, maybe arcing in the connector/plug?

TRoglodyte
TRoglodyte UltraDork
10/28/17 3:47 p.m.

I purchased new tombstones with the bulbs, this is all it could be with no ballast or bulbs in place? Weird electron activity .

ProDarwin
ProDarwin PowerDork
10/28/17 6:46 p.m.

Yeah.  I feel like thats the only thing it could be as well.  Disconnected them and everything works fine.  Couldn't check for continuity because battery in my multimeter is dead.

 

Now the next question:  How do I make sure the new non-shunted tombstone will fit in the same fixture.

dculberson
dculberson PowerDork
10/28/17 7:39 p.m.

I can't  be sure but I think they're all the same. T8 and T12 use the same base. I think shunted and non shunted do too. 

ProDarwin
ProDarwin PowerDork
10/28/17 8:09 p.m.

Just walked to the store for a 9v battery for the multimeter.  They are shunted.  It is weird that they have 4 holes though.

 

 

These look pretty close:

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072QY1M89

 

Edit:  Those apparently have gussets at the bottom that will likely interfere with my fixture.  Now looking at these:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Non-shunted-JACKYLED-Fluorescent-Replacements-Programmed/dp/B00S64ACCI/

 

This is such a pain in the ass.

kb58
kb58 Dork
10/28/17 8:40 p.m.

Yeah I finally bit the bullet and bought just the LED tubes, as they're supposed to drop right in. Well... No. While they worked, they were suspiciously dim, so I immediately shut them off and returned them. Going to buy the complete housing and lamp assembly to make sure all the parts work together. 

SlimShady218
SlimShady218 New Reader
10/30/17 9:42 a.m.

I'm following along with this one.  I need to change and add some lighting to my garage and LED will win out.  Does anyone have experience with a specific fixture that is wroth a flip?  Adavantages/Disadvantages to a specific fixture? 

ProDarwin
ProDarwin PowerDork
10/30/17 9:46 a.m.

If I were adding lighting, not upgrading lighting, I would just buy LED fixtures to begin with.

WildScotsRacing
WildScotsRacing Dork
10/30/17 10:58 a.m.

This prolly should go in the Minor Confessions, but at first glance I read the title as "Converting flatulence to LED"...

noddaz
noddaz GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
10/30/17 2:02 p.m.

Going by the information given I would:

Throw the red wire away

connect the black to one side of the lamp socket.  connect the white to other side of the light socket.  make sure one lamp works.   then run black and white jumpers to the adjacent socket(s) to light the second (3rd, 4th) bulb.

The other end of each bulb remains inactive

ProDarwin
ProDarwin PowerDork
10/31/17 10:13 p.m.

Got the new tombstones in and took care of 1/2 the garage tonight.  Pretty painless and I am pleased with the results.

 

Only downside is LEDs have around a 1 second delay when turning them on vs. flourescent which is pretty much instant.

Robbie
Robbie GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
10/31/17 10:27 p.m.

In reply to ProDarwin :

Led are weird like that. I always have a 'crap the bulb is burnt out' moment when I turn them on.

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