My lamp doesn`t work. I`ve tested the luminous tube and know that works ok. It`s 11W 827. On the wall adapter it says: 230V 50Hz 0.17A (in Norway we have 230V in the wall).

Without the luminous tube I measured 26V inside the lamp. With the luminous tube inside the lamp I measured 4V. Is it something wrong with the wall adapter? How much voltage should it give out?

I have the same luminous tube over my electric cooker in the kitchen, and there I measured 230V.

This is the luminous tube:

 

We call it a compact fluorescent tube. It is obsolete. New compact fluorescent light bulbs include the fairly complicated circuit that starts it with a high voltage then limits the current. They have a power oscillator that powers them at about 40kHz.

 

We call it a compact fluorescent tube. It is obsolete. New compact fluorescent light bulbs include the fairly complicated circuit that starts it with a high voltage then limits the current. They have a power oscillator that powers them at about 40kHz.

Should I set a new compact fluorescent light bulb into the lamp?

 

Should I set a new compact fluorescent light bulb into the lamp?

My very first compact fluorescent light had a separate little fluorescent tube like the one you show. That was 30 years ago. It used an old-fashioned inductor as its ballast.
Modern compact fluorescent light bulbs have an electronic ballast inside. They are helical (coiled) and are inexpensive.

Maybe your lamp has the ballast inside. Modern compact fluorescent light bulbs replace incandescent light bulbs and the lamps do not have a ballast in them.

 

(snip)Modern compact fluorescent light bulbs have an electronic ballast inside. They are helical (coiled) and are inexpensive.

Maybe your lamp has the ballast inside. Modern compact fluorescent light bulbs replace incandescent light bulbs and the lamps do not have a ballast in them.

This is not necessarily true. The lamp he showed a picture of is still used in various new light fixtures. They can be bought in various wattages up to 100 or more watts. It is the ballasts that have changed from that which you described to an electronic ballast which are still separate from the lamp. These used to be the better way to go to a compact fluorescent light, but required changing the light fixture.

The type of lamp that you describe with the ballast attached that screw into an E27 base have come a long way since they first showed up on the market. They were total crap when they first came out.

As to the OP's problem. I'd say that if you are certain the lamp works, then your problem is with the ballast. You should be able to go to a local hardware store and pick up a replacement. Or change out the complete fixture...

 

As to the OP's problem. I'd say that if you are certain the lamp works, then your problem is with the ballast.

Ballast? Do you mean the adapter?

 

The ballast is what takes your supply voltage (230VAC/50Hz in your case) and outputs something that can be used by the lamp/bulb. As Audioguru stated, some of the older style light fixtures used an inductor and maybe some other passive components to do this.

When you refer to the adapter are you talking about the socket that the lamp plugs into? If so, these sockets generally do not go bad all of a sudden unless you break the plastic while changing a lamp.

 

When you refer to the adapter are you talking about the socket that the lamp plugs into? If so, these sockets generally do not go bad all of a sudden unless you break the plastic while changing a lamp.

Here is a picture of the lamp with the light bulb inside, and the black adapter to the left. I cut of the wire from the adapter and measured 40v while the adapter was in the wall. Do you think the adapter is broken?

 

maybe you can use a CFL electronics PCB for this lamp,
even if it seems to be 2-pole.

Is this a filament lamp, or mercury vapor (CFL) technology?

CFL PCBs are 4-pole usually, it's also possible (and I have done this myself) to convert them to 2-pole, using a small capacitor on the tube itself.

I don't know if this works for this type of tubes, but worth trying?

If this is a CFL- type lamp, 40V won't be sufficient to start the lamp.

 

maybe you can use a CFL electronics PCB for this lamp,
even if it seems to be 2-pole.

Is this a filament lamp, or mercury vapor (CFL) technology?

CFL PCBs are 4-pole usually, it's also possible (and I have done this myself) to convert them to 2-pole, using a small capacitor on the tube itself.

I don't know if this works for this type of tubes, but worth trying?

If this is a CFL- type lamp, 40V won't be sufficient to start the lamp.

Here is some pictures inside the lamp and inside the adapter. The question is; should I use another adapter? That would be much cheaper than buy a new lamp. I even have some adapters, but I need to know what power it should be?

 

The big coil of wire is a 30 years old ballast. Welcome to 1982. It might be burnt out.
Why not buy a modern lamp instead of trying to fix the antique one?

 

Nostalgia reasons?

But we need to know if this is a "luminous tube" having a filament, or a gas discharge lamp (CFL type technology).

Can you measure a new tube for this lamp, which should be OK?
Does it have Ohms resistance accross terminals?

If you need 40V for the tube, get a 12V electronic transformer, and a 12v/35v converter. These can be well modified for more than 35V.

 

I have the exact same lamp. With the exact same problem. I attached a photo of the label from the back of the power supply.

You can clearly see its at the top of the picture that it is burned out.

I see two options

To find a used power supply with same characteristics or at least a close one to 0.17 A. which is 170mA.

To buy a universal power supply that has adjustable voltage.



In the afternoon I plan to go to a local tv-radio repair guy to ask if he has a suiting used one he could spare or sell.