[JustinJ]

I did a job for a lawyers office recently where we retrofitted t-12 lamps and ballasts to t-8's. Rebuilt every light in the building. Upon completion when we turned the switches on we noticed a snaking spiral effect in the bulbs. Tried everything to get rid of the snaking in the bulbs! Finally I called the Sylvania rep and asked for his opinion. He said go to the switch and turn it off and on repeatedly 30 to 40 times. Did this and the lights burned perfect. He said you have to cycle the lights by doing this. The gases settle in the bulbs and the cycling clears it right up!!

 

[CADPoint]

I didn't know about that, but I have burned or let the Lights burn for easy 24 - 48 hours when their first hooked up!

:thumbup:

IBH Welcome to the Forum!

 

[McClary’s Electrical]

All new bulbs do that. All that is needed is a 1-8 hr burn in period.

 

[HARRY304E]

I did a job for a lawyers office recently where we retrofitted t-12 lamps and ballasts to t-8's. Rebuilt every light in the building. Upon completion when we turned the switches on we noticed a snaking spiral effect in the bulbs. Tried everything to get rid of the snaking in the bulbs! Finally I called the Sylvania rep and asked for his opinion. He said go to the switch and turn it off and on repeatedly 30 to 40 times. Did this and the lights burned perfect. He said you have to cycle the lights by doing this. The gases settle in the bulbs and the cycling clears it right up!!

Okay, what you did was shorten the life of the lamps and ballasts for that matter,both are good for the lamp and ballast makers.

At the first start just leave them on for the normal amount of time such as the work day.

If they're in office's that require motion sensors then you need program start ballast's.

You have not lived if you have never installed F40 T12 450 milliamperes lamps in the 1970's. ( full power rapid start ballasts made before the watt miser craze started around 1979 ) Those lamps would flip out on the first start and would stabilize between a few minutes to a few hours ....:laughing:

 

[HARRY304E]

I did a job for a lawyers office recently where we retrofitted t-12 lamps and ballasts to t-8's. Rebuilt every light in the building. Upon completion when we turned the switches on we noticed a snaking spiral effect in the bulbs. Tried everything to get rid of the snaking in the bulbs! Finally I called the Sylvania rep and asked for his opinion. He said go to the switch and turn it off and on repeatedly 30 to 40 times. Did this and the lights burned perfect. He said you have to cycle the lights by doing this. The gases settle in the bulbs and the cycling clears it right up!!

Btw,,,,,Welcome aboard ...:thumbup:

 

[bobelectric]

I got the most call backs using sylvania lamps. They do their own thing.Can't beat G.E.

 

[JustinJ]

Thanks, what I should have included was we let the lights in that particular building burn overnight. It was Sylvanias 735's, and the rep claimed this is a reoccurring problem that they are seeing. I understand all lights do this upon initial startup, but this was a slow spiraling that was only remedied by cycling the lights. I just shook my head when the lights completely cleared up!

 

[CADPoint]

Working the switch was the eye opener for me!!! :blink:

 

[joe cool]

I can't explain why but removing the lamp and reinstalling it in the opposite direction often works for me. Another guy swears by "jacking off" the lamp. You can imagine that. I guess it produces static or something? I haven't tried it.