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Hi everyone I have a bit of an electrical problem that I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out. I was sitting in my apartment tonight when I heard a buzzing coming from the kitchen. I went in to investigate and the buzzing was coming from the ceiling light. While I was standing there staring, the light (and everything on the breaker) went off.
I turned the kitchen light switch off and turned the breaker back on. Everything came on fine. As soon as I turn the switch in the kitchen to on the breaker trips and everything goes off. Not only that, but there is a smell like burning cupcakes coming from the kitchen. Does anyone have any suggestions on what may be the cause of this problem. And are we in any danger?
either a short circuit, or there is too much power coming through the wires to your light. Something, might be the insulation in the ceiling, might just be the insulation on the wires, is burning/smoldering up there.
I'm going to have to go with the first answer though.
Do you have those low energy flourescent bulbs in the light. I'm not talking about the long tube type. Just the newer swirly flourescent bulb type.
Sometimes they cause a buzzing sound and a putrid smell when the invertor or whatever it is called goes out.
I use these lights because they use less power.
I have experienced the same as you have when one goes bad.
If you have standard light bulbs I would suspect an electrical problem in the light fixture.
The buzzing sound and odor you describe makes me think you might have an energy saving flourescent bulb in the light and if that is the case just replace the bulb.
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If you have the tube-style fluorescents you probably have a short (or another malfunction) in the starter and will probably need to have the fixture replaced. Unless that circuit is grossly overloaded there is no way a fluorescent lamp should be overloading it.
Since this is your apartment, you should notify management that they need to have an electrician investigate a possible fire hazard immediately. They'll snap-to. Good luck.
Thanks for all the replies guys. I don't think it's the bulb doing this but I'll change it today just to see. I'm kinda leaning towards a short too so get an electrician in here asap to check it out. Thanks again for the input.
If you are talking about the round type fluorescent like found in kitchens it is probably a fried ballast. That is a heavy black thing in the base of the fixture. They do go bad, will smoke and smell bad. If that is the case you have to replace the entire fixture, replacing the ballast costs as much.
If it is one of those energy saver bulbs, you just replace the bulb.
One note today a lot of them cheap fluorescent will fry as soon as you put them in. Even worse if the electrical system is marginal, like with a bad ground. Lots of cheap junk out there and difficult to find something American made. That China junk just is not the same quality, especially in things electrical.
Yeah, just call the landlord, make it his problem. Do not attempt to keep using the light until it is fixed.
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cosmic
If you are talking about the round type fluorescent like found in kitchens it is probably a fried ballast. That is a heavy black thing in the base of the fixture. They do go bad, will smoke and smell bad. If that is the case you have to replace the entire fixture, replacing the ballast costs as much.
If it is one of those energy saver bulbs, you just replace the bulb.
One note today a lot of them cheap fluorescent will fry as soon as you put them in. Even worse if the electrical system is marginal, like with a bad ground. Lots of cheap junk out there and difficult to find something American made. That China junk just is not the same quality, especially in things electrical.
Yeah, just call the landlord, make it his problem. Do not attempt to keep using the light until it is fixed.
Cosmic,
I've seen "ballast" and "starter" used interchangeably and as distinct components. What's the difference? Is this a "dykes" and "sidecutter" type issue or is there a difference in function?
I've seen "ballast" and "starter" used interchangeably and as distinct components. What's the difference? Is this a "dykes" and "sidecutter" type issue or is there a difference in function?
In general a ballast and a starter are not the same. But you must know exactly what design, time frame and technology being discussed. It all changes over time.
The gas filled bulb needs a higher voltage to fire it and by some means needed to be preheated. As the technology developed various function got changed around exactly how things got done. Example the bulbs are not the same over time. The old time bulbs needed a method of "preheat" and a switching function. None of it was included in the bulb itself.
The ballast by definition provides current limiting and providing the starting kick to ionize the gas in the fluorescent tube(s). In the old technology form it is sort of like a transformer.
Then you need some sort of "Starter" which is sort of a switching function that makes it all work in the right sequence. In the old dazes that was found as a lil aluminum can that had a twist lock insert type base, you saw them sticking down out of the fixture at one end. Some had a lil red button you pushed if things did not go exactly right, that was a bit of like a manual override. Even more complicated if the fixture had two bulbs.
But as the technology developed, the "Starter" function disappeared as a separate piece of hardware, the bulbs changed in design, they became "Quick Start" and all the functions got packaged in the ballast box for most lights. Some of it is can be all electronic in nature. The functions still get performed by some method.
So in the old dazes, a ballast and starter were separate critters, today it is more than likely all in the same package which does all needed functions. Also they tried to design out the flicker and make it all more reliable and long lasting. Then along came this Chinese cheap junk and a lot of that don't work very well no matter what it is. Also most of the bulbs are also non-USA, the quality of those is suspect in a number of cases. Lot of them are now made in former East Bloc countries.
So what you find is sort of technology dependent, how old it all is and how lucky you are at the moment.
If you hear sizzling sounds and the breaker trips, DO NOT USE IT UNTIL IT'S LOOKED AT BY A PROFESSIONAL!
It's sounds like a short and wires are arcing.
That!
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Sounds like a fried ballast......
