"You do know that doesn't meet code?"

[LCHIEN]

...
Remember if you add a cord to the light the fixture needs to be grounded, if not the tubes burn out quicker and perhaps the ballast goes bad sooner too but I can't speak from experience with confidence on that. Perhaps one of the EE can enlighten us on that.


Bill
fog is really rain that can't make up it's mind on what it wants to do....

???????

grounding it prevents the case from becoming electrically energized; if there's a short from the hot side to the case, it'll blow the fuse/CB instead of being perpetually an electrocution hazard.

Can't imagine how it would help the ballast or the bulbs life any.

[Mr__Bill]

???????

grounding it prevents the case from becoming electrically energized; if there's a short from the hot side to the case, it'll blow the fuse/CB instead of being perpetually an electrocution hazard.

Can't imagine how it would help the ballast or the bulbs life any.

As an expert I was hoping you would know what I was talking about. All I know is from anecdotal evidence. 4' fixtures wired with zip cord in a garage. The tubes would last a few months being used almost every evening for a few hours. This was only in the warmer months, in the cold they would not light at all. Had to replace the tubes 2 or 3 times between spring and late fall. When I mentioned this to an electrician he immediately said that florescent fixtures have to be grounded to work properly and that was my problem. I replaced the zip cord with 16/3 extension cord wire and the tubes would last until I tried to turn them on on a cold day. On the cold day they would sputter and blink until the end was all black and the tube was kaput. (I had assumed if left long enough they would ignite, they didn't) Come spring new tubes and the lights worked all summer without replacing.

Since then I assumed the electrician knew something and have always made sure the fixtures were grounded. I did wonder how those under counter things worked with only 2 wires and almost all plastic but stopped wondering when the only one I ever installed died in a few months.

Guess it was just magic or karma.

Bill
over here in the fog, both literally and figuratively.

[cabinetman]

I did wonder how those under counter things worked with only 2 wires and almost all plastic but stopped wondering when the only one I ever installed died in a few months.

Guess it was just magic or karma.

Bill
over here in the fog, both literally and figuratively.

Some of those under cabinet thin fixtures have starters not ballasts.
.

[woodturner]

Some of those under cabinet thin fixtures have starters not ballasts.
.

Flourescent lights all have ballasts. Starters are required with some inductive type ballasts to preheat the bulb. Most newer fixtures have electronic ballasts that do not require starters and will start in colder temperatures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_ballast