Tips for Replacing Fluorescent Bulbs
Updated: Jun. 10, 2019They may look burned out, but don't get rid of them until the light goes bad
Fluorescent bulbs can go for years without replacement—even when the ends start to blacken. Don't worry about them until the light they put out starts to weaken.
Time to replace a bulb?
Bulbs with black ends can run for a long time and they won’t damage your ballast at all. But you should have replacement bulbs on hand for the day when they begin flickering, take a long time to fire up or finally give up completely. That’s because running a fluorescent fixture with a burned-out bulb will damage the ballast.
Required Materials for this Project
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.
- Replacement bulb
Originally Published: June 20, 2017
