# Fluorescent Fixture Issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264 "2017-12-01T17:40:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/21 "2017-12-01T20:18:09Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Another vote for LED shop lights … Searching Amazon for LED shop lights, you can get a 4-pack for $135. Several brands, lots of good reviews, I would recommend the 4000K models (I don’t see many that are 3000K). This would be replacing the whole thing - all 8 tubes, which at $20 each, would cost you $160. And junking the fluorescents, light covers, all of it - just starting over. Seems like a decent plan. And there’s no complex wiring to do - you just turn off the power, unscrew the current hanging fixtures from their chains, disconnect the power cable, and basically do this in reverse with the new ones. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/22 "2017-12-01T20:30:45Z")
> [@SamuelA](#): > > This would be replacing the whole thing - all 8 tubes, which at $20 each, would cost you $160. I think I did better than that from a lighting company, but I’ve slept since then. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/23 "2017-12-01T20:32:08Z")
One bulb out in each fixture sounds to me like someone deliberately disconnected power to one of the tubes in each fixture in order to save energy/money. Seems like too big a coincidence for each fixture to have transformer problems. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/24 "2017-12-02T01:47:14Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > One bulb out in each fixture sounds to me like someone deliberately disconnected power to one of the tubes in each fixture in order to save energy/money. Seems like too big a coincidence for each fixture to have transformer problems. This ↑ ↑ ↑ 😃 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/25 "2017-12-02T01:56:25Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > One bulb out in each fixture sounds to me like someone deliberately disconnected power to one of the tubes in each fixture in order to save energy/money. Seems like too big a coincidence for each fixture to have transformer problems. I’m late to the party, per usual, but yeah, this is where I was headed in my thinking after reading the OP. One light each from four separate fixtures? Unlikely that that’s coincidental. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/26 "2017-12-02T02:20:28Z")
No starters, and in the fixtures I opened up (two of them at this count) there is a ground wire to the fixture from the power lead. It may be a lot of coincidence, but having opened two, I see no instance of anything disconnected. I see power coming in, going to each end, and (with attendant circuitry) wiring to each of the four leads off the tubes. Thus I don’t think it was deliberate. However, at this point, it seems like it’s not worth it to troubleshoot any further. I’m just going to scrap them out in favor of LEDs. At $20 per fixture with LED bulbs included, I don’t think any part could be prelaced cheaper than buying new, as **icbm** did. Thanks to everyone for their input. I was kinda hoping it was going to be something easy, but I admit I have no idea what that would have been. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/27 "2017-12-02T02:33:08Z")
Little hijack, if I may: [ol] [li]Can you simply replace the florescent tubes with LED tubes, or do you need a new fixture.[/li][li]All the talk in this thread is for garage/shop lights. Would LEDs be appropriate for basement lighting?[/li][/ol] Thanks, mmm ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/28 "2017-12-02T02:52:14Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > [li]Can you simply replace the florescent tubes with LED tubes, or do you need a new fixture.[/li] The LED tubes I bought use the tube connectors of the fixture, but have 110v connected to them. The ballast is discarded. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/29 "2017-12-02T03:35:38Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Little hijack, if I may: > > [ol] > [li]Can you simply replace the florescent tubes with LED tubes, or do you need a new fixture.[/li][li]All the talk in this thread is for garage/shop lights. Would LEDs be appropriate for basement lighting?[/li][/ol] > > Thanks, > mmm You can use them in the old fixture. The original models required that you disconnect the ballast in the fixture, but the newest bulbs are [“hybrid” models that have a “plug and play” festure](https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/192077/PLT-10734.html) as well as the traditional “direct wire” feature. You can plug them into an existing fixture with an electronic ballast or remove the ballast. (Note: the ballast must be electronic.) [More information (scroll to the text that begins in the middle of the page.](https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/t8-led-tube-lights/) ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/30 "2017-12-02T06:21:56Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > One bulb out in each fixture sounds to me like someone deliberately disconnected power to one of the tubes in each fixture in order to save energy/money. Seems like too big a coincidence for each fixture to have transformer problems. > [@GusNSpot](#): > > This ↑ ↑ ↑ 😃 🆒 while I’ll admit it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that someone did that, most people would’ve just put bulbs where they wanted them to work and not disconnected anything in the fixture itself. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264/31 "2017-12-02T23:14:17Z")
If the ballast is bad a non-bypass LED tube isn’t going to work either. Fixtures that us “PL” type compact tubes (like wall sconces and CFL cans and stuff like that) technically still use starters, but the starter is embedded into the tube and thus gets replaced with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-fixture-issue/803264.md?page=1)