The house I currently live in is a bit old so most of it lights, sockets, ceilings, walls, floors, toilet doors, toilet and everything inside will eventually need replacement. I adjusted the toilet water pump lever few weeks ago that causes annoying water dripping but it wasn't a pretty picture so I don't post it here lol.
When the light flicker or not functioning, we normally just buy a new starter or change the tube. No rewiring involve. Just change the freaking things.
This time that's not the case, the tube has burnt on 1 side, and when I tried to change the starter and its casing, the connector on the ballast just crush on the force of my little screwdriver. So the ballast is broken.
This morning I went to the hardware store, buy a new tube, ballast and starter with its casing.
The cooking ingredients.
Love that IKEA adjustable wrench borrowed from my housemate. Small but robust.
I should own one.
Old(top) and new ballast
The connector(yellow thingy) and part of the ballast was brittle and crisp like a Crispy Popiah.
1. So first you connect the starter to its socket.
2. Make sure you connect one of the starter socket wire(white wire) to the ballast connector first (white connector box) before you screw the ballast to its place. See above.
3. The ballast is a bit heavy so you have to screw the metal holder to it tightly on both ends so it wont fall down.
4. The other starter wire(white wire) will goes to the ground (black wire).
5. And the live wire(blue) will connect to other end of the ballast connector. I actually think the other connector is unnecessary though but I just use whatever thing that was already there.
(Somebody correct me if I'm wrong)
6. And then you put on the tube in its base, tighten the support clip and place the starter and its socket to the tube. But that starter should be inside of the lamp instead of outside as in the picture.
And.. DONE!
Not even a single sweat. Took me less then 10 minutes.
Total damage:
Hitachi 32W ring light - RM10
Electronic ballast - RM5
Starter - RM1.50
Starter socket - RM4
Total - RM20.50
If you called a super, he'd probably charge you about RM50 and then WeChat you for no reason after 12pm everyday. T__T
Anywho, practise precaution, before handling any electrical appliances.
Make sure the switch is OFF before you touch/do anything with it.
And if you don't know which wire goes where, just follow any other similar lamp inside the house that is working.
I hope this will help girls out there to solve simple matters like this without expecting other people's help, and some guys too. I mean, not all guys knew these kind of stuffs. That doesn't make them any less of a man, same goes if a girl know these stuffs it won't make them any less of a woman. So, you know, survival skills.
If you want to learn more on how fluorescent lamps work, or other stuffs in your house works, go to this website howstuffworks.com
I always go there for things like these, when my car engine having trouble or even for study/work related matters. Quite useful.
OK it's lunch time, looking at this ring type light makes me want a donut.
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