I BE BACCKK! Flourescent fixture issue

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by cyberpriusII, Apr 8, 2020.

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  1. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Heading out to get the new (well -- old) fixture now.

    But, just as an aside, looking at the old fixture, it certainly appeared to me to be no way to remove the ballast in the old fixture. I may be wording this wrong, but there appear to be four little tabs that hold the ballast on each corner -- I want to say they are then spot welded to the ballast, but, the ballast is not metal (is it?), so probably not. Anyway, it certainly looked like those tabs were attached for life to the ballast.

    Anyway, I see no screws or bolts, unless one comes down from outside top of the fixture and into the top of the ballast. Since the fixture is still flush-mounted to the ceiling, I can't tell.

    I would not doubt it is something like that -- non-replaceable. We had an electrician come in about a dozen years ago and he installed ceiling fixtures in several rooms and also put the light in the closet.

    Of the maybe dozen or so switches and outlets he installed, I have had to replace about eight of them because they failed after five or so years. He used really cheap light switches and outlets and I assume, the fixture he put in the closet was the same.

    The light fixtures in the other rooms were supplied by myself because I was particular how they looked. They were not Tiffany quality, but they were pretty solid and cost more than I really wanted to spend.

    The outlets and switches I used to replace the cheap ones were all the $5-plus -- not the $1.29. Used 20 amp for the outlets, since they seemed extra heavy-duty and I liked the way the wires attached vs the cheaper ones.

    Oh, Kevin drank the last porter last night and neither of us are willing to go shopping to replace them!!:eek:

    Again, thanks for the help. Took my mind off our other problems for a bit!:):):)
    kris
     
    #21 cyberpriusII, Apr 9, 2020
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  2. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Of course YOU would think that.
    But experience tells me that most people would find it a daunting task.
    (Edit: As evidenced by the post immediately before this one.)

    I stand by my advice.
     
    #22 sam spade 2, Apr 9, 2020
  3. Prius Maximus

    Prius Maximus Senior Member

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    Sounds like a good project. Any pics of the finished project?
     
    #23 Prius Maximus, Apr 9, 2020
  4. NewHybridOwner

    NewHybridOwner Active Member

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    If you get direct-wire LED tubes such as I mentioned up-thread (there are other brands), you can simply bypass the old ballasts electrically but leave them in place.
    Not absolutely sure, but I think that using 20amp outlets on a 15amp circuit might be a Code violation.
     
    #24 NewHybridOwner, Apr 9, 2020
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  5. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    I think so too. Does the electrician @jerrymildred agree?
     
    #25 Prodigyplace, Apr 9, 2020
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  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Definitely a code violation. Not to mention just being a really bad idea. Hopefully, if you plug a 20A load into it, the 15A breaker will trip before the 15A wires catch fire, but that's not a risk I want to take.
     
    #26 jerrymildred, Apr 9, 2020
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  7. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    All my wiring is 12 ga., which is why I like the 20 amp outlets and switches, they are made to make connecting the thicker wire easier.

    I TN|INK the breakers are 15, might be wrong and too lazy to get up and look --I am lying on my back in my apple orchard just a few feet from the house and getting an assortment of doggy kisses (YUCK).


    Anyway, this house is weird. It was built in 1970 and has breakers (no fuses), but -- and I have mentioned it before -- it has what I have been told is a split buss -- anyway, there is no main breaker. In other words, there is no way to shut off power to the house other than at the actual meter on the outside of the house. I can shut down each and every breaker on the panel in the house, but there is no main shut-off.

    I have always been a rebel, so if I am in violation, Bisco, isn't every dwelling where you live considered a sanctuary. Can I hide out with you for awhile??

    Gosh, it is a good thing my pix is so old. I don't look like that too much -- just in case the law comes looking.
     
    #27 cyberpriusII, Apr 9, 2020
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sorry, we're in isolation, even our grandkids can't come :(

    in normal circumstances, y'all are welcome anytime :)
     
    #28 bisco, Apr 9, 2020
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  9. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    My luck... maybe one of those chicken coops I seem to remember from another thread....
     
    #29 cyberpriusII, Apr 9, 2020
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    not us, just a fruit and veggie garden. neighbor has chickens, i can ask them for you :p
     
    #30 bisco, Apr 9, 2020
  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    yep 8' LED tubes -3 pair - fluorescent ballast removed & re wired accordingly. Brighter - less juice & no cold weather flicker
    20190222_181147-1.jpg
    .
     
    #31 hill, Apr 9, 2020
  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Sounds like you're fine with #12 wire. Maximum breaker size for #12 is 20A. Here's a handy chart from the NEC.
    https://www.usawire-cable.com/pdfs/nec%20ampacities.pdf

    (And you could do worse that laying in an orchard getting doggy kisses. LOL!!)
     
    #32 jerrymildred, Apr 10, 2020
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  13. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    My country raised wife says cow licks are worse due to their rough tongue.
     
    #33 Prodigyplace, Apr 10, 2020
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  14. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Those LED tubes are great. One side of tube is just the hanger put 120 volts on the other end good to go. There 5k so much brighter.
    Night and day from 3k.

    Kris your main panel sounds very scary. It’s like 50 years old. Please take a picture of it so I can see which brand it is. Some models will burn your house down for free.
    No main breaker is very very old. Way out of code.
    If I was there I would take its cover off and look for any overheated wires,
    There will be some.

    In my town code requires new Arc Detect breakers in living areas. That breaker detects any Arcing or sparking on that circuit. It’s becoming quite common. There awesome. I have updated my panel.

    If your house burns down insurance may not pay with a severely outdated panel especially if an electrical fire.

    Call them and ask. Call the county and ask about arc detect or go online
    And check.

    New panel time! Don’t u love this site!
     
    #34 edthefox5, Apr 10, 2020
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  15. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    This makes me a little uncomfortable.
    That's an extraordinary failure rate - so either your electrician WASN'T.....OR.... she/he got a bad batch of switches and outlets.

    I'm willing to believe that a "bad batch" of switches is possible, since most (real) electricians buy their supplies in bulk, but my very humble knowledge in home electrical wiring leads me to believe that getting BOTH a "bad batch" of switches AND "a bad batch" of outlets is not credible.
    I think what you got was a "bad electrician."

    This is a particularly dangerous thing in a 51 year young house with an already interesting wiring pedigree.

    If you/hubby are able to I would prioritize inspecting and/or replacing the other things that this "electrician" touched....or at least double down on your smoke detection, make sure that your pooches can get out of the house when you're not there, and if you're on volunteer fire department protection start baking those people pound cakes.
    Maybe start a fundraiser for a better tanker truck if you're not near a hydrant!!!
    (the pooches will know if this is the case....)
     
    #35 ETC(SS), Apr 10, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2020
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  16. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Husband says I am wrong. Electrician put in five wall switches and eight wall outlets.

    I replaced somewhere around eight wall switches in the past few years, but only two of those were ones put in by the electrician.

    The others were existing switches that probably dated back to the 1970s. I did replace three wall outlets he put in - one of them, when I plugged in something, the plugs were loose and the cord could fall out of the outlet.

    The other two outlets, I decided I wanted black outlets instead of the white that he installed.

    The panel is from ITE circuit breakers of Atlanta, which is now apparently part of Siemens and of course is the original from 1970.

    BTW, the electrician seems to know his stuff. He was recommended to us by a very reputable local contractor and he works for a firm with a solid reputation. I

    We had lots of discussion not only with that electrician, but with a home inspector when we bought the house, as well as with a couple of other folks about the split panel, and all said it was no problem.

    The electrician went through the panel entirely and changed the way a few things were wired, I never did understand why...

    One of the many online sites that discuss the split bus (or buss?).
    Inspecting split-bus panels
     
    #36 cyberpriusII, Apr 10, 2020
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