Is it safe to keep using my AGA strip light?

Jeremy S

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Jun 26, 2002
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I have a 3 year old 4 ft Normal Output AGA strip light and whenever I first turn it on it makes a loud buzzing noise. Once it heats up the buzzing noise grow much quieter. Then, after it is heated up, the vent holes start to become very warm/hot to the touch and they start to smell like very hot plastic and burning dust. Do you think it is safe to continue using this strip light or should I be worried about it starting a fire? Thanks.
 
Well, I went ahead and opened it up and the first inch of the wires coming out of the ballast had turned brown. The ballast was also extremely hot. Even after it had cooled down for about 8 minutes it was still too hot to hold your hand on it for longer then 3 seconds. Is this a sign of something like a short in the ballast? BTW on the ballast I found a price sticker for $4.00.:eek: It kind of makes you mad since I spent over $40.00 for the light.
 
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Today I gutted the old shell and so far I have the old plastic shell, the old reflector, and the electric cord. This is the list of things that I am going to be purchasing so I can use two 55-watt pc bulbs in the old shell:

Either a Fulham Longhorse 5 or a Fulham Workhorse 5 120 Volt Electronic Ballast

2 Straight Pin Endcaps (German Style) and 2 CF Lamp Clips from www.hellolights.com

2 55-watt PC bulbs from www.ahsupply.com.

A package of Screw-On wire Connectors from HD.

Will I need to get anything else like some extra wire?

Since I am going to be remotely mounting the ballast underneath the stand will I need to get the longhorse or can I use the workhorse? I was looking on the Fulham website and there is no difference between the longhorse 5 and the workhorse 5 except that the longhorse runs a maximum power of 120 watts instead of 128 watts. Do you know if there is any other difference between the two ballasts then that? Thanks.
 
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