Replacement light for a True beer cooler?

Hopefully this isn't too off topic, but I can't figure out where else I could go for help with this particular question. My employer was getting rid of a True cooler that was being used in the break room for $100 and I jumped on it. I noticed that it has a light fixture just inside the door behind the hinges but is missing the bulb. It looks to me like a pretty standard fluorescent fixture that would accept a 48" bulb, but I can't seem to find any info on what kind of bulb it needs. I have a box of t8 bulbs but am afraid of trying one because I don't want to break anything if that's not the right type of bulb.

I don't have the exact model #, but here's a pic I found online and as best I can tell this one looks almost exactly the same as the one I have:



Can anyone help shed some light on the situation (pun intended)?

is it old? if it is, my guess would be that it would be a t-12 not a t-8. is there not a tag on the back somewhere with a model or serial number stamped into it??

you could always just dig into it and put in whatever ballast you'd like and run whatever bulb you'd like. just a thought.

I looked up some replacement parts for True refrigeration units. They want $80 for a bulb. But it says that it's a replacement for a Sylvania 24570 F40D865. Those are 48" 40 watt T-12 type bulbs. Anything of that type should work. Here's a 10 pack for 20 bucks

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...ht-Bulb-10-Pack-422675/203466573?N=5yc1vZbm3z

Thanks for checking this out for me. I have several t8/t12 fixtures so I took a known good t12 bulb out of one of those and put it in the cooler but it didn't work.

When I was doing that I happened to notice the model number was on a sticker inside the unit. Model # is GDM-23 PE57151.

I noticed what I believe is a ballast on the roof of the cooler and assume I may need to look at replacing it.

I also noticed what appears to be a switch highlighted in red in the picture below. I assumed this might be a light switch, although I couldn't seem to get it to move. I didn't see any mention of this switch in the manual, so I'm not sure what it's for, or if it actually is a switch. Can anyone comment on this?

Do you really need a light?

Even in brown bottles, fluorescent light may have enough UV to potentially skunk beer over time.

Perhaps put an external light switch on the fridge?

A light would be nice, yes. Especially for seeing what's in the back of the cooler. Every bar I've ever been to has had lights in their coolers so I can't imagine the negative effect from them can be very pronounced. I agree I'd ideally like to have a switch so the light is only on when necessary.

i think that is the light switch but it maybe a button that clicks in or out. I agree with Lizard though, no light for inside beer fridges.

The ridiculously high price on a fluorescent tube from True Beer may have something to do with the spectral output of it. Or just a way to gouge the client to support the heli pads.

It may have one of those UV filter sleeves on it, they use in museums and archives, but I doubt it. Those are re-usuable anyway, and they'd mention it, believe me, to justify the sticker shock. Those archive tubes tend to be a lot yellower though, like 2800-3400K, and definitely not daylight or full spectrum ones at 6000-6500K.

If you minimize the light exposure to when you need it, with an outside switch, any tube will be fine. It's not you need a display to sell, like in a bar or liquor store.

Well, you have a few options at your disposal. You'll probably need a T12 bulb. You may also need a new switch. You can change the old (probably) magnetic ballast out to a newer electronic ballast (T8/5 bulbs). This will help you save energy/money. You could also use one or two LED strip lights, wired to that (or a new) switch. This also means no ballast. If you choose to stay fluorescent, you might also consider getting a protective bulb sleeve. This way if someone taps a bulb a little too hard it contains the debris. Just make sure that the fridge is unplugged before begining your project.

One thing you'll notice in your picture is that round can with a hole in the top. That's the bulb starter and it's sticking out because that's usually the thing that goes bad and needs replaced in the ballast. Most are supposed to be replaced every time you replace the bulbs. They're a couple of bucks and you could try replacing that since it would be pretty easy. Give it a twist and it should pull out.

The "bulb starter" is what I thought was the ballast, but I know next to nothing about lighting. Would I be able to find a replacement for this at home depot? Just take the old one and show it to someone in the lighting department and tell him I need a new one? Is it possible to test it somehow with a multimeter to determine if it needs replacing?

Also, the thing that I thought was the switch won't push in and won't turn (it's flat on two sides which led me to think it might be supposed to). I thought it was weird that I couldn't find any reference to a light switch in the manual, I figured if there was one there'd at least be a replacement part listed for it.

The starter is part of the ballast circuit. It's basically a timed switch. When you turn the light on it's closed and heats the filaments at the ends of the tube. After a couple of seconds it opens up and the current then flows in the gas of the tube. There's a neon bulb inside of it that you can see through the hole in the top when it's operating. If you don't see a glow in there within a few seconds then it's not working. Although you do need the switch to work to check it. Not sure of your switch is broken or not. You will need a bulb in place to check it.

There should be a number on the side like FS-4 or FS-5, etc.. Just make sure that number matches on the new one. Yours is probably FS-4. Those are for 40 watt bulbs.

Home Depot has a 2 pack of FS-4 for $2

Looking at their parts manual they only have 3 types of light switches for that unit. Toggle, rocker and push button. It's definitely not a toggle or rocker. If you can't push it in then it's broken. The flat ends on the post were probably for a button that used to be there. You can try bypassing it by taking the wires off and twisting them together with a wire nut and see if it starts to work then.