Strip Light Help Please

[Prudie]

Can anyone suggest where this fault lies - it's a fish tank strip light (although I guess that's irrelevant). two tubes in the fitting. It's on a timer. The timer works (as we've tried a different one). Every night when it's supposed to switch on the light comes on for a split second and then goes out - which suggests the tubes work?? Why won't they stay on?

[Peaspeculiars]

It could be the 'starter' that's faulty Prudie. Therefore the light pings on for a second, but doesn't stay on. (I think thats' normally the first thing to go on these types of lights)

[The Builder]

Yes, certainly replace the starter, Pruders. It's usually the first thing to go.

[Prudie]

Thank you both, will look at that - not sure why that didn't cross our mind because yes they are usually the culprits with strip lights. I'll let you know.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

If you have 2 tubes and 1 ballast in circuit they may be series wired.If one tube fails then neither will operate.Try the starter with the exact replacement
or try the tubes.If they are Grolux tubes you benefit from changing both if they are a few years old.

[hammerman]

as above....one of my tubes just flickered and died resulting in both tubes failing. replaced he faulty tube and all is well again.

[Prudie]

Not progressed much as we can't actually find a starter (the unit is under the lid so not that easy to inspect). So it could be one tube gone and not the other that causes this?

[Prudie]

Perhaps I need to reiterate - a light does come on but for less than a second

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Prudie......it may be an electronic ballast...which means you have no starters.From experience when one tube flashes once it indicates a fault in the other tube.When starters fail the tube tends to flicker constantly.