Crompton retro fit LED tubes

[Evans Electric]

I post the manufacturer's instructions  and invite  observations & comments . 

I make no comments myself as I'm often wrong .

I converted an office a few months ago ,called back to one tube not working . I found the "Starter fuse"  blown & wondered if someone there had removed the tube & fitted it back the wrong way round .   I thought the  "Dead" end of the tube  was a dead short  but there is a resistance across the pins . No idea why that would be . 

 

[Andy™]

its a fuse (yes, ive pulled one apart before). the 'starter' is also a fuse

normally when ive been fitting them ive been disconnecting the choke (although its suually because its dead that its been getting the LEd fitted)

 

[binky]

likewise, wire out everything and apply mains to one end. I've done hundreds like that with no issues.

 

[kerching]

I usually bin the innards....well disconnect them. Rejig wiring to get pair of mains to one end

my theorem being that if the ballast hasn't already blown ( usually has) then it may do in future, it's another point of failure, it will use some energy also

 

[binky]

HF ballasts cause  LED tubes to fail  some I've seen can catch fire!  Plus, you don't get the full energy saving if you leave a ballast working at about 10W, in place

 

[Andy™]

HF ballasts cause  LED tubes to fail  some I've seen can catch fire!  Plus, you don't get the full energy saving if you leave a ballast working at about 10W, in place

not sure about other manufacturers, but most state that HF control gear is to be disconnected, its only switch start where you can change just the lamp & starter

 

[binky]

they do now! Never used to hence the fires! 

 

[Evans Electric]

The failed tube I went to  was fine , it seems the LED fuse  "Starter"  had failed for no reason I can see , I was back there today for something else , stuck a fuse in and all working .   I've been doing lighting   maintenance  plus everything else there for  25 yrs  but now as I replace  dead tubes   with LED fittings  I'm slowly doing myself out of work .             :C  

 

[kerching]

I'm slowly doing myself out of work . 

Charge a lot more for the work to compensate for loss of future earnings!....or loosen a few wires and await the call!

a few yeas ago,in Bolton/Blackburn a firm of Alarm installers were fitting service interval  timers to the panels to throw up a 'fault' after 13 months. Get called to,site, reset timer, back again in 13 months. I think they got jailed eventually

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I usually bin the innards....well disconnect them. Rejig wiring to get pair of mains to one end

my theorem being that if the ballast hasn't already blown ( usually has) then it may do in future, it's another point of failure, it will use some energy also

Ditto....

Bypass EVERYTHING internally as basically it is just any old LED lamp that happens to be installed within a long tube...

So no point in leaving unnecessary gubbins still connected internally..

Guinness  

 

[Evans Electric]

Charge a lot more for the work to compensate for loss of future earnings!...

I'll have handed in my terminal driver & my testers removed by the NIC  by then  I think......  at the moment a two day week is enough for my old knees . 

Bypass EVERYTHING internally as basically it is just any old LED lamp that happens to be installed within a long tube...

So no point in leaving unnecessary gubbins still connected internally..

My thoughts exactly ,   thats why I posted the MI's   (Which show them remaining )    to see what others thought . 

 

[kerching]

Just got a price on Compton lamps.   FFS They're expensive!

apart from a ourvrecent 'failure' are they reliable?      The ones I use ( no,idea what make)! Are about £5/6 each plus VAt, cromptons were about£8/12

just curious

 

[binky]

Dearer but worth every penny. I tried a cheap plastic 6ft tube - it sagged in the middle in a might fall out in a mild zepher sort of way. 

I've fitted hundreds of Crompton LED tubes and  never had a failure except when someone shorted out the mains supply in Tavistock market - voltage spike wiped a few tubes out. Like wise never seen one with melted / burn't ends from fitting with a HF ballast still in place. 

 

[kerching]

Dearer but worth every penny. I tried a cheap plastic 6ft tube - it sagged in the middle in a might fall out in a mild zepher sort of way. 

I've fitted hundreds of Crompton LED tubes and  never had a failure except when someone shorted out the mains supply in Tavistock market - voltage spike wiped a few tubes out. Like wise never seen one with melted / burn't ends from fitting with a HF ballast still in place. 

On that recommendation I'll,try some.  I have a customer that needs 12 changing

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

My thoughts exactly ,   thats why I posted the MI's   (Which show them remaining )    to see what others thought . 

Other manufactures show option with all 'guts' excluded...

i.e. the "new built system option"..

 

I think the options for leaving some of the 'guts' in is just to make it a little less work for the bod doing a conversion...

My personal work principle is... if any item is not needed then disconnect and remove it,  to avoid any future confusion!!

Simple rule has always been, the less links there are in the chain then the less chances of failure, or.... 

If it ain't there it can't go wrong!!

Guinness

 

[Evans Electric]

Looking at Spec's   Meridian Lighting diagrams  a couple of things have come to mind   .

1)  In their retro fitting an electronic ballast , the need for a fuse has gone  ..because there is no existing  starter  base I presume .

2)   It dawned on me that wiring them via both ends of the tube removes the  danger of  fitting the  "linked out" end into the "Live"  bi - pin holder  causing a dead short. 

        ie :   Tube can be fitted either way .....yet the tube end cap is marked up  ..." Live to this end only" .   Also puzzled that my cheapo tester on the bench read 10 ohms across the dead end . 

I  had rewired  my job with   L & N  at one end only   ...reversing the tube would short out the light circuit .           

 

[Andy™]

Dearer but worth every penny. I tried a cheap plastic 6ft tube - it sagged in the middle in a might fall out in a mild zepher sort of way. 

I've fitted hundreds of Crompton LED tubes and  never had a failure except when someone shorted out the mains supply in Tavistock market - voltage spike wiped a few tubes out. Like wise never seen one with melted / burn't ends from fitting with a HF ballast still in place. 

only faulty ones ive had were broke during transport. inadequate packaging and parcel farce

 

[binky]

Parcel Farce - apparently their sorting machine trashes the parcels by being too rough with them! 

I  had rewired  my job with   L & N  at one end only   ...reversing the tube would short out the light circuit .           

 got to keep some work coming in somehow