Electronic or magnetic ballast

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Adam78

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I have a 2D florescent bath lamp which is constantly blinking and won't remain switched on.

Tried replacing the start switch which made no difference.

I want to try replacing the bulb now to see if that's the problem however i don't know what type of ballast I have and most of the bulbs i've seen online say they are only compatible with electronic ballasts.

I've attached pics of the fitting and the ballast.

Does anyone know what I have - magnetic or electronic? I've read if you take photo of the unit on your phone and if you see black lines on the image then its magnetic - I tried this but i don't see any black lines on image.

I purchased the following (https://www.toolstation.com/philips-energy-saving-2d-style-cfl-lamp/p66852) from toolstation thinking it would be compatible but on the reverse of the packaging it says only compatible with HF >20kh, not compatible with EM 50/60hz. no idea what EM means?

Can anyone point out where I can get hold of a compatible light bulb for the fitting/ballast i have.
 

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It’s magnetic. If the lamp is 4 pin, there will be a starter. Always change lamps and starters together. One causes the other to age. Alternatively, fit a Kosnic LED retrofit lamp.

From the pic, that lamp is shot. Very blackened on the ends.

Some lamps are tweaked to work best with high frequency drivers, not magnetic. EM would be emergency, which is usually high frequency, but older would be 50hz.
 
Lectrician said:
It’s magnetic. If the lamp is 4 pin, there will be a starter. Always change lamps and starters together. One causes the other to age. Alternatively, fit a Kosnic LED retrofit lamp.

From the pic, that lamp is shot. Very blackened on the ends.
Click to expand...

Any idea where I can get a 2d lamp compatible with magnetic ballast then? All the ones I've looked at on screwfix or toolstation say only compatible with electronic ballast e.g.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/asd-gr10q-4-pin-2d-compact-fluorescent-light-bulb-1050lm-16w/86579
https://www.toolstation.com/energy-saving-2d-style-cfl-lamp/p99570
 
Lectrician said:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/philips-...8w/5495p#product_additional_details_container

But, you won’t regret fitting the more expensive LED one I linked to earlier. Instant light, no warm up, no flicker, less power, longer life, warranty.
Click to expand...

Thats the same as the one I got from toolstation https://www.toolstation.com/philips-energy-saving-2d-style-cfl-lamp/p66852 except the one I got is 16W PL-Q 4P. but as I mentioned on the reverse of the packaging it says only compatible with HF?
 
Adam78 said:
Any idea where I can get a 2d lamp compatible with magnetic ballast then? All the ones I've looked at on screwfix or toolstation say only compatible with electronic ballast e.g.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/asd-gr10q-4-pin-2d-compact-fluorescent-light-bulb-1050lm-16w/86579
https://www.toolstation.com/energy-saving-2d-style-cfl-lamp/p99570
Click to expand...
The Toolstation one doesn't say that unless I've missed something.

I'm intrigued as to why one would only be compatible with electronic ballasts anyway.
 
winston1 said:
The Toolstation one doesn't say that unless I've missed something.

I'm intrigued as to why one would only be compatible with electronic ballasts anyway.
Click to expand...
The electrodes don’t need to work so hard with HF, so there’s a cost saving by making an inferior product. A lamp bulb that states HF only will work with a magnetic ballast, but will fail FAR quicker. Often days when regularly started.
 
Lectrician said:
Always change lamps and starters together. One causes the other to age.
Click to expand...
I disagree with that and only change the faulty item.
It is true a continually flashing lamp will age a starter but I never leave one continually flashing. Also a faulty starter can damage a lamp but once again I never leave a faulty starter long enough for that to happen.

Electronic starters are an ideal replacement. They cost more but don't leave a faulty lamp flashing.
 
Adam78 said:
That's a bit pricey...how does it work. Do you just fit it into the existing plug where the 2D lamp slots into?
Click to expand...
It’s pricey, but far better. It plugs into the existing socket, and you DONT put a starter in (you must not). Ideally you bypass the ballast if you feel confident, but you don’t need to.

If your fitting has an Opal diffuser, these LEDs are great, if it’s a prismatic/semi see-through, the LEDs can look a little odd and too bright.
 
Is the lamp you took out 16 watt, as long as the new toolstation one is 4pin it should work fine, with a new starter, the wording on the back of the pack only applies if you had a Hf or Hf EM fitting
 
winston1 said:
I disagree with that and only change the faulty item.
It is true a continually flashing lamp will age a starter but I never leave one continually flashing. Also a faulty starter can damage a lamp but once again I never leave a faulty starter long enough for that to happen.

Electronic starters are an ideal replacement. They cost more but don't leave a faulty lamp flashing.
Click to expand...
They have a similar life span. For the cost? Change both. In a four tube fitting, it’s common to change all four tubes and starters.
I expect you to disagree, that’s what your here for, little else. Certainly not knowledge or experience.
 
Lectrician said:
The electrodes don’t need to work so hard with HF, so there’s a cost saving by making an inferior product. A lamp bulb that states HF only will work with a magnetic ballast, but will fail FAR quicker. Often days when regularly started.
Click to expand...

This is the one I purchased. You can see on the reverse the images show a tick against HF and a cross against EM. So will this be compatible then with the fitting/ballast i have?
 

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