DIYbanter - View Single Post - Where is my problem with this flourescent lamp?

Don Klipstein

In , wrote:
On Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:20:55 +0000 (UTC), (Don
Klipstein) wrote:

I have looked at the color of glow produced by many of those. My
experience as of the late 1970's was that few produced a neon-like color,
and that those appeared to me less-modern-than-usual as of then. I have
also seen the glow from the starters built into PL-13 CFLs.

My experience is that most starters produce a lavendar glow of a color
close to usual for argon, only a little more whitish.

I think you are describing a mercury vapour glow starter. That would
also explain the "silvering" on the glass.

The silvering is getter material, simetimes also electrode material
sputtered from the electrodes by a high current glow discharge. I
remember seeing the spectrum of one of the purplish-glowing starters. I
did not recognize the spectrum, but it was definitely not mercury.

--
- Don Klipstein )