Why do the fluorescent lights in this lobby fuck up so badly

>>1044221

Looks like a bad ballast. Fluorescent bulbs need to be lit by firing a pulse of high voltage at them. Then the ballast takes over and controls current draw. So if the ballast is failing and giving low current the bulbs don't light up entirely.... Hence what you are seeing.

>>1044221

the LAMPS (yes this is the correct term. fluorescent LAMPS) are bad. the ends are black the lamps need to be replaced. its unusual for ballasts go go out in every fixture like that. its probably the lamps old age.

If they do this while they're supposed to be off, it's because you've either got leakage (in case of an electronic switch; dimmer, etc, anything with semiconductors), or because you're switching neutral instead of live (in case of a traditional switch).

If you switch neutral instead of live, the lamps will couple slightly to the grounded metal fixture, and enough current will flow from live, through the lamp, through the air, to ground through the fixture, in order to light the lamp slightly.

>>1044425
The ballast is bad in literally every one of these lights? They were essentially brand new.
>>1044430
They are on an ultrasonic sensor; they switch on at the right time, but do not seem to be completely on, since this happens.
>>1044428
The lamps were pretty new, to my memory. I might be incorrect. Is it possible for these to be wired in a daisy-chain where one bulb fucks everything up?

After doing some research last night, I am inclined to believe that the contacts are all fucked up because this is the lobby of an indoor pool (humidity + chlorine = corrosion?).

>>1044470
If this happens when the sensor turns them on, I'd wager the sensor breaks live, but neutral is broken somewhere else, for instance the normal light switch.

>>1044221
Fagcuck bulbs like this suck. They do this in cold weather too?

You might have the wrong bulb for the ballast. If they are new there should be a sticker on the ballast that says which bulbs to use, there will probably be a many options. I've seen similar things when putting an f34 in a fixture that could only use f40 bulbs. Some ballasts can use a wide range of bulbs others are very specific, it's a pain in the ass.