Fluorescent lamp

[VTLee]

I have a fluorescent magnifying lamp I’m having trouble with. I had to replace the switch and now it won’t light. The bulb, a circular FC8T9\CWRS, is new and tested OK. There are two wires coming from the large square base of the lamp which I assume has some sort of starter or transformer. The switch is a two button, four wire identical to the old one. You press down the ON button to start the bulb and when you release it the lamp stays lit. The other button turns it off. There is a four pin socket that connects to the bulb with a black, white and two red wires. When I put my multimeter probes in the black and white wired sockets I get a 110 volt reading. When I put the probes into the two red wired sockets I get no reading, either in the START or ON position. When I do a continuity check on those sockets I get contact in the START position but not the ON position. Any ideas on why I’m not getting the bulb to light?

 

[bertus]

Hello,

The large block could be the ballast for the flourescent tube.
The following page will give you a lot of information how the ballast and tube work:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/flamp.htm

Bertus

 

[VTLee]

Forgot to mention i took off the part that holds the bulb and magnifying glass in order to stiffen it up because it wouldn’t stay in place. It is still disconnected from the rest of the lamp with patch cords to the switch.

 

[Bluejets]

Some of these units used the "switch" as a starter and may have been a special type of switch.
Or you may have reconnected it incorrectly if you have the correct replacement.

 

[VTLee]

As far as I can tell it is the same switch and I think I reconnected it the same as the old one.

 

[Bluejets]

Well it's not working so something is different.
Crystal ball needs new batteries here.
Photos, schematics etc. etc....??