Lighting problems with my Rockola 459

[Paul]

Hi to all.

Annab63 from Northern Ireland. I'm a new member of today.

Can I pick on your skills and knowledge to help me sort out the lighting problem from my 459 Rockola, please.

I am a new owner of a Rockola 459. I purchased it approximately four weeks ago. I plays well, except for a light problem.

As you may know, the jukebox is fitted with top and bottom fluorescent lights. The top is a T8 25 Watt /28 inch tube, the bottom is 18 Watt.

When powered up, the top one is working, the bottom doesn't.

I did the following to try and figure out what is the likely cause of the light problem:

Interchanged the two starters. Got the same result as above, hence the starters are fine.

Interchanged the fluorescent tubes. Both top and bottom fluorescent tubes failed to work.

Hence the good tube did not work when located into the bottom tombstone fittings. 

I then put everything back to their original locations and concluded that the bottom fluorescent tube was defective but there seems to be something else wrong with the bottom set-up as the good tube from the top did not work when fitted into the bottom fitting.

The top fluorescent is wired to a ballast, the bottom to a transformer. I have tested the ballast with a multimeter and seems ok. There is a wire coming from the transformer into the bottom tombstone, that also has power at entry to the tombstone. 

Has anyone any idea of what is going on in this lighting situation. Although I have carried out some basic, simple checks, I haven,t a clue what it means!

[jukenorman]

Hi Paul,
According to the jukebox-world.de archive, the dome tube is a T8 19W and the door tube is a T12 25W. I don't have a 459 manual or schematic but I would have thought that both tubes would be fed from ballasts? There could of course, be a poor connection at one of the door fluorescent end fitting for example, that's causing the problem. Fluorescent tubes coupled with ballasts are problematic in Europe these days - environmental regulations invariably mean that new tubes will no longer strike on old ballasts. The choice you face is either to fit electronic ballasts for the fluorescents or use LED lighting. You might be better thinking about doing something like that.
Norman.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Anna,
An 18 watt and a 25 watt lamp, are not interchangeable. Both are powered by a "ballast" ( some call this a "transformer"), but of a different value. Starters also are not interchangeable. The 25 watt needs a FS 25 starter *, while the 18 watt, depending on length may or may not, start with that starter may need a FS-2----depending on that starter's rating, which varies by manufacturer. If you lamp is good,and the starter is good, and the ballast is being powered, either the socket(s?) are bad, or the ballast is defective.
*  120 volt operation-- not sure about 240 volt operation ?-- to confuse the issue even more--today there exists what are called "Universal" starters-- I have seen this type of "starter" bad, when new just out of the box, too many times---You also MUST used only, starters marked "Condenser" in any machine that has any type of a "computer" in it. Ron Rich

[Paul]

Jul 28, 2020 16:43:19 GMT jukenorman said:

Hi Paul,
According to the jukebox-world.de archive, the dome tube is a T8 19W and the door tube is a T12 25W. I don't have a 459 manual or schematic but I would have thought that both tubes would be fed from ballasts? There could of course, be a poor connection at one of the door fluorescent end fitting for example, that's causing the problem. Fluorescent tubes coupled with ballasts are problematic in Europe these days - environmental regulations invariably mean that new tubes will no longer strike on old ballasts. The choice you face is either to fit electronic ballasts for the fluorescents or use LED lighting. You might be better thinking about doing something like that.
Norman.

Hi Norman.

Thank you for your speedy response to the light problem. I spoke to a electrician who also suggested the LED option. You have supplied some very valuable information in your reply. Thank you again.

Paul

[Paul]

Jul 28, 2020 16:45:22 GMT Ron Rich said:

Hi Anna,
An 18 watt and a 25 watt lamp, are not interchangeable. Both are powered by a "ballast" ( some call this a "transformer"), but of a different value. Starters also are not interchangeable. The 25 watt needs a FS 25 starter *, while the 18 watt, depending on length may or may not, start with that starter may need a FS-2----depending on that starter's rating, which varies by manufacturer. If you lamp is good,and the starter is good, and the ballast is being powered, either the socket(s?) are bad, or the ballast is defective.
*  120 volt operation-- not sure about 240 volt operation ?-- to confuse the issue even more--today there exists what are called "Universal" starters-- I have seen this type of "starter" bad, when new just out of the box, too many times---You also MUST used only, starters marked "Condenser" in any machine that has any type of a "computer" in it. Ron Rich

Hi Ron.

Thank you for your quick response to my light issue. I like your quote " to confuse the issue even more". Jeepers, I have really got it wrong and this is the very reason for me joining this forum. I guess best thing to do is to maybe pass the issue on to a electrician. I didn't even know there was a built in computer! I guess I have a lot of homework to do.

Many thanks Ron

Paul

[Paul]

Many thanks. Very useful information and much appreciated.

Yes. Both tubes are supplied with their own power supply (Top with a ballast : bottom a huge old looking transformer).

I will work through the points you mention above.

Thank you

Paul

[Ron Rich]

Hi Paul,
A "lamp ballast", IS, a "transformer"-- Various companies produce them in varying shapes, and sizes. Should you need to replace that ballast, the one you get today may "look" nothing like the original. Ron Rich