Wednesday 14 September 2011

Handheld fluorescent light tube replacement

CAUTION! Lamp is rated at 230V. Do not attempt the fix yourself unless you know what you are doing! And if you think you do then you do it >>>ON YOUR OWN RISK<<<.
 Seriously. Don't do it.

I happened to get partially working handheld light for free. Quickly diagnosed it has broken tube from the blinking light and thought i'll replace it and i have "free" bright light for building/repairs and other lighting.

 This sticker is on the lamp. It says in finnish that lamp cannot be fixed and tube is not replaceable. I did not know if to laugh or cry. This can't be true? What has been made, can be fixed.


At top end of the light, there was plastic pins holding top cap on.

Small screwdriver under the pin and lift. Notice i'm using 1000V rated electrical tools while doing this. Lamp has capacitors in the power supply side so there might be still voltages inside.

And same kind of pins were found from the handle too.

After removing the pins, i were able to pull the top cap off. In this lamp there was no glue holding the cap.I don't think there would be glue on other lamps either.

After removing the top cap, i was able to slide the plastic tube away.

 Now pushing power cable inside the handle it pushes tube and circuit board outside from the handle.
CAUTION! There are capacitors on the circuit board that can be still electrified even if the plug is removed from the socket or haven't been connected for a while. Short circuit the capacitors with screwdriver before touching it. (And if now you are thinking "What is capacitor?" it's better you don't try to do the repair yourself. Or atleast think it over night.)


Tube was connected with screw terminal at the handle side. Easy to remove with screwdriver.

And at the other end cable was soldered to the pins. (is this te reason why it cannot be fixed?)

Heat up the soldering station and remove the cable. It's just wrapped around the pins and not through holes so it was easy to remove.

Inside lamp there was normal 8W 230V 288mm long fluerecent tube. Managed to find match at local store for the price of 6.95€ (or around 7.25U$D or so)

New and old lamp next to eachother. Same lenght.

On the new lamp (Topmost) the stem was bit wider than on the old one. This did not do any harm. Just take the knife and use it on the plastic parts to make it fit.

New lamp attached and soldered.


Lamp fixed and working. No problems what so ever. At this point i was only able to laugh at the "cannot be fixed" sticker.

In case of questions. Feel free to ask.

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