The EG&G FX-6A xenon flashtube is used in the General radio Strobotac,
which is used to measure the speed of machines rotating at up to 25,000
rpm.

The FX-6As darken with age, and are hard to find.

FX-6A is an old EG&G product. The relevant part of EG&G was sold to
Perkin-Elmer (http://optoelectronics.perkinelmer.com), and P-E now makes
these flashlamps. I think that this is still done in Salem, Mass.

I talked to P-E today. The FX-6A is available for US $232.00 each for 1
to 10 units. FX-6 series are called "low cost strobes"; I don't want to
know what normal and high cost means.

They also sent me a FX-6A datasheet (well, max operating conditions):

Max energy per flash: 5 Joules.

Max average power: 7 watts.

Max anode voltage: 1000 Vdc.

Min anode voltage: 300 Vdc. (Typical will be ~600 Vdc.)

Max flash rate: 500 flashes per second (30,000 rpm).

Arc length is 7.9 mm. The trigger electrode (called the "sparker" is
near to the anode and cathode, inside the glass envelope. The required
voltage and energy was not documented.

Joe Gwinn