Fluorescant light

[JonoSlatter]

Main saloon light in my Beneteau First 26 has gone - it's a florescant bulb. Have tried replacing the bulb (twice) but no luck?? There's power getting to the fitting but no light.

I'm no electrician - but is the little board inside the fitting is some kind of mini transformer for the flurescant bulb? Any ideas how I could test this - or find a replacement?

Dull - but annoying!

Jono
Azrar - First 26 - Poole.

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[the_wanderer]

The fittings are so cheap now that they are not worth repairing unless you know somebody who will do it for nothing.
My brother in law is a qualified electronics engineer and he does not bother with them.

Buy a new one, it's just as cheap and easy.

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[AndrewB]

There is an mechanism in a fluorescent light, the 'ballast', essentially a transformer/choke, which triggers the light to turn on and helps hold it steady. These are susceptible to damp. In my experience, on 12v yacht lights these fail as often as do the bulbs. But unlike the bulbs, replacements aren't readily available from your chandler. If you want to save the cost of a new light, replacements can be bought from electronic suppliers, but beware these may not be the suppressed type, and can interfere with radio, depth-sounder etc if fitted.