gallderhen Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Howdy folks. I currently have 2 OSRAM 36W fluorescent tube lights in my kitchen. So I bought two of these to replace them with: https://www.geewiz.co.za/led-tube-lights/35726-astrum-at8a124t-led-tube-t8-12m-18w-al-pc-clear-4000k.html But they just wont switch on. on the top of the light it has a live and neutral indication, but neither on the light fitting or the osrams are there any type of markings for L or N. Did I buy incompatible lights by any chance? -G- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 1 hour ago, gallderhen said: Did I buy incompatible lights by any chance? Did you replace that white round thing (I really cannot think of the name) with the green one that comes with the lights? If you have transformers powering the tubes before, remove them. The LED tubes can work direct of 220v, without the green round thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilotfish Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 1 hour ago, gallderhen said: Did I buy incompatible lights by any chance? I think the globes you bought will require some rewiring of the fittings which may require an electrician if you are not very familiar with electrical work. I believe they are a Chinese workaround and not quite the same as major brand equipment. Basically remove/disconnect all internal infrastructure, then connect your new globes with Live only to one lamp holder and Neutral only to the other lamp holder of each globe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco De Jongh Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 2 hours ago, gallderhen said: But they just wont switch on. 1 hour ago, pilotfish said: Basically remove/disconnect all internal infrastructure, then connect your new globes with Live only to one lamp holder and Neutral only to the other lamp holder of each globe. Doing what pilot suggested will solve the problem. Had to do the same with all my fittings. Switch off the light. Disconnect all wiring except the live neutral and earth from the DB/Switch (Normally connected to the same connector block in the light). there is four lamp holders, two of them on one side will have four wires running to them On the other side there will be two long wires and normally a bridge. Forget about that side. Focus on the side with the 4 long wires. Disconnect these wires from where ever they are connected, but leave them connected to the lamp holders. One wire from each of these two lamp holders needs to be connected to the supply neutral and the other wire from each to the Live. There is some writing on one of the tube ends. That side of the lamp needs to be inserted in the lamp holders that you connected to the power. Take care not touching Neutral and earth together even while the switch is off as that will trip the Earth leakage if your light circuits are connected to the earth leakage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilotfish Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 3 minutes ago, Jaco de Jongh said: Doing what pilot suggested will solve the problem. Haha - I suggested something slightly different which worked on my globes! Remember that this is Chinese kit we are talking about - there is no standard that they stick to, but once up and running they work well. On my globes one end in live and the other end is neutral, if you take L+N to one end as per your diagram then it shorts out and trips the CB (no damage to globe). Jaco De Jongh 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilotfish Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 If you have a multi-meter then measure the ohms between the two pins on one end, if high then use Jaco method, if very low (short circuit) then use my method - GOOD LUCK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gallderhen Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 Hey everyone, Thanks for all the info and suggestions. I'm glad I didn't spend all that money for nothing. I'm a very accident prone when it comes to electricity, so I'm going to get my electrician that did our CoC to come do what you suggested -G- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco De Jongh Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 2 hours ago, pilotfish said: Haha - I suggested something slightly different which worked on my globes! Remember that this is Chinese kit we are talking about Never saw those. I am on my third brand in 3 years. Last brand if stick to because I liked them most. I am so use to doing it this way I dont even read whats written on the tube end anymore. Just today I had to convert 7 fittings and had some left over tubes in the vehicle, Went and checked them and couldn't help laughing at myself. Found this on the box And this on the tube end Please just see if you see any markings like this on the one's you bought. It should show your electrician what is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco De Jongh Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 8 hours ago, gallderhen said: I currently have 2 OSRAM 36W fluorescent tube lights in my kitchen. I dont know these , but being Osram astrum I know think they will be good. Just as a matter of interest, you should be very impressed by the quality of light, over time a normal tube looses its intensity and turns yellow. Ive been running 2 Led Tubes in the same room as 2 normal tubes for about 2 and a halve years at work. Last month we replaced the normal tubes for the second time, because the difference in light intensity as well as color difference becomes so big that no one can stand it any more. Every body walking into the office immediately ask " Whats wrong with that light" . In the office next door I kept 4 normal tubes and because the degrading rate on all four tubes are the same, the occupants only started complaining when the light gets so bad that they can hardly see in there. After proving that, all tubes gets replaced with LED one's once its time for replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gallderhen Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 This is what they say on the tube: Line 3 reads "Power 18W", FYI. -G- Jaco De Jongh and pilotfish 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco De Jongh Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 41 minutes ago, gallderhen said: Line 3 reads "Power 18W", FYI. Thanks, yours are then the same as what i am use to, power only on one side. I use the 18Watt 4000k also, and for specific applications i prefer the 24Watt 6000k. Thanks for the pick. pilotfish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco De Jongh Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 On 2018/09/01 at 4:39 PM, gallderhen said: so I'm going to get my electrician @gallderhen, did you come right, lights working.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gallderhen Posted September 6, 2018 Author Share Posted September 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Jaco de Jongh said: @gallderhen, did you come right, lights working.. He's a bit busy at the moment, but he said he'll definitely swing by next week to come check it out. Will report then about what happened. -G- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilotfish Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 On 2018/09/01 at 6:20 PM, Jaco de Jongh said: Found this on the box I just took a closer look at the image you posted... ... and started to scratch my head! They show the 2 pins shorted out on the left connected to the one driver terminal, and the 2 pins shorted out on the right connected to the other driver terminal - and then instruct you to connect L+N across the shorted terminals on the right! So it seems that my lamps follow the line diagram and your lamps follow the terminal letters - eish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco De Jongh Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 6 hours ago, pilotfish said: ... and started to scratch my head! Don't be too confused by Chinese printing, this one shows it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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