Help with Astro City Lamp Starter!

[wnka]

I recently got an Astro City cabinet and am having some issues with the fluorescent bulb. I picked up some new starter bulbs from here:
http://www.bulbconnection.com/ViewSIMIt ... /item.html

The bulb doesn't want to come on on its own. I figured a video would be worth a thousand words, so here's what I'm seeing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pmb6cXXM_g

The fixture looks to be a stock Astro City fixture. The socket doesn't seem to be corroded. I'm in the US, so could it be a 100V issue? Everything else in the cab works great.

Thanks for any tips!

[antron]

will it come on if you the starter is already loose when you turn it on?

[brokenhalo]

Might be a slightly loose connection or contact in the starter socket, so that when you turn it all the way it's partially breaking the connection. I second antrons question.

[wnka]

Thanks for the suggestion, I gave that a shot but then it wouldn't come on period.

I unscrewed the starter just enough so that it wasn't making a connection. I could then push down on the starter so that it would make a connection, which would cause both it and the main bulb to flicker. If I stopped pressing down and broke the connection, then the starter would stop flickering and shut off, but the main bulb would come on and stay on.

The best way I can describe the behavior is that the starter doesn't properly stop itself (if that makes any sense). If the starter is making a connection, then it is flickering and the main bulb is flickering as well. If I break the starter's connection at this flickering stage, then the main bulb will illuminate and stay on and the starter will stop flickering.

Any other thoughts? Crappy starter? I bought 2 starters (same model from same place) and both of them exhibit the same behavior. Where have others gotten their starters from?

Would it be easier to just replace the whole fixture?

Thanks!

[antron]

I see, it won't stop doing its job. I would think that using a higher voltage would actually make it turn off faster, since it's a heated bimetallic strip that bends to turn it off.