Any way to test a fixture without bulbs?
 

Hello! I just found a sunblaze 2 foot, 4 lamp t5HO fixture at a second hand store for $15! I'm wondering if there's any way I can test this without buying the bulbs for it? Can I just buy one bulb and it will work?

Did you ask at the store off out had been tested?

I did, they didn't know if it worked and will give me a refund if it doesn't as it's untested. I'm wanting to figure out if I can get it to light up without buying all the bulbs for it because if it doesn't work then I'll have brand new bulbs that I'm unable to use. Do you know if I can just plug one bulb into it and see or does it require all 4 bulbs to light?

You can stick multimeter leads into the socket ends that the tube plugs into, but you need a multimeter, and if you don't know how to use it, you won't learn about it in a forum post.

Look at it this way: if the cheap fixture doesn't work, will you buy one that does? If so, you haven't really wasted the T5 light tubes, have you? Unless the vendor has a spare T5 kicking around, you don't have much choice except to buy your own. And they're cheaper than a half-decent multimeter.

Thanks for the tip. I am actually planning on buying 4 foot fixtures! I'm just going to buy 1 bulb and see if it lights up. Crossing my fingers

In my experience most t5 fixtures will light up just one bulb.
It's not good to run it that way but if it's just a quick test

Thank you! That's the answer I was hoping for. Now I just have to find the bulbs! Haha

I'm curious, why is it not good to run a T5 with only 1 bulb? Or 2 or 3 in a 4 bulb fixture?

Bill

It worked you guys! I scored big time, a 2 foot fixture for $15 plus the cost of new bulbs. Looks like I can get a few more 'chids....

I think it burns out the bulbs and fixtures faster unless designed to run separately.

That is awesome!
My two foot t5 fixture cost me $50. Without bulbs!