# Sign lighting trouble



## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I am trying to get a sign back up and running. It was flickering before, so I changed the bulbs. Tough to see how bright it is during the day. Came back at night and it was totally out. Went the next day and looked at the ballast. It apparently was the wrong one. The sign has two F120 T-12 HOs. The ballast in there said not to be used with ten foot lamps. So I changed the ballast. I came back at night at it was out. Went back this morning and swapped bulbs with ones that were working and it looks like one of the new bulbs had already burned out while in with the previous ballast. Left one of the working bulbs in with the one bulb that seemed ok and went and bought another one at $25. I put the new one in the portion of the sign that was working. Went by tonight and the sign was working but noticibly dimmer than the rest of the other portions. There is 120v there, though I didn't check the exact voltage. The frame is grounded. I checked the wiring diagram again this morning to make sure the correct leads were used for two lamps and the others were correctly capped off. The new one is from Universal:

http://www.unvlt.com/literature/navigator/pdfs/Sect_7_Sign.pdf

Model number: 
USB-1632-24

Wiring diagram #9


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

nrp3 said:


> I am trying to get a sign back up and running. It was flickering before, so I changed the bulbs. Tough to see how bright it is during the day. Came back at night and it was totally out. Went the next day and looked at the ballast. It apparently was the wrong one. The sign has two F120 T-12 HOs. The ballast in there said not to be used with ten foot lamps. So I changed the ballast. I came back at night at it was out. Went back this morning and swapped bulbs with ones that were working and it looks like one of the new bulbs had already burned out while in with the previous ballast. Left one of the working bulbs in with the one bulb that seemed ok and went and bought another one at $25. I put the new one in the portion of the sign that was working. Went by tonight and the sign was working but noticibly dimmer than the rest of the other portions. There is 120v there, though I didn't check the exact voltage. The frame is grounded. I checked the wiring diagram again this morning to make sure the correct leads were used for two lamps and the others were correctly capped off. The new one is from Universal:
> 
> http://www.unvlt.com/literature/navigator/pdfs/Sect_7_Sign.pdf
> 
> ...


How long was the new bulb in before you saw it? They need to burn in for 8 hrs.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Probably 8-12hrs, I forget what the time clocks are set at. I know when I go to change out t-8 ubents, it takes a day for them to come up to the brightness of the others around them. Hoping this is the case here too.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

nrp3 said:


> Probably 8-12hrs, I forget what the time clocks are set at. I know when I go to change out t-8 ubents, it takes a day for them to come up to the brightness of the others around them. Hoping this is the case here too.



Remember all the new tubes need to burn in like Jerry said,,

When you first turn them on you will see that the middle is very dim and that will fill over time the longer the lamp the longer it will take you should take the dogs out of the time clock for a day so the will burn in good and they will not flicker as much when they are first started.

I learned something new hear I did not know they made lamps longer than 8' cool...:thumbup::thumbup:

Here is a good link that might help you..
http://www.light-sources.com/sign/products/fluorescent-sign-lamps/xtra-long-lamps


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## Island Electric (May 9, 2011)

One other thing to check would be the way the tomb stone sockets are jumped out and sync up to the ballast wiring diagram. You may have over looked that.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

They look like two lamps fused together. There is a visible joint in them. Otherwise they are just longer HO lamps. I don't want to buy another ballast. Damn thing was over 200 bucks.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

That would be the last thing left to check. Perhaps each socket on one side has two different colored leads. Have to drill out some pop rivets to check it. Hoping those bulbs burn in come to life. See what it looks like tomorrow night.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I think it would have been fine, but one of the bulbs snapped in half. Made another trip down to the sign place and bought another bulb. Installed it, watched it for awhile and did some housekeeping in the van. It was as bright as the lower portion of the sign, so I'd say its ok now. Sign guys were picking on me...


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