Tabby wrote:
On Aug 11, 1:03*pm, Sidney Endon-Lee wrote:
Hi all,

I've searched the group on Google groups and found two relevant
threads:

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk..../thread/6371a7....

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk..../thread/1acd56....

In one of them the starters from Tabelek are recommended.

http://www.tabelek.co.uk/product-300...c-fluorescent-....

Does that recommendation still hold?

I'm after starters that don't either (a) wait an interminable interval
before deigning to start up the lamp or (b) go
blink...blink...blink...blinkety-ahah!

I've been using standard Osram ST111s, and even with a new starter and
a new tube, the behaviour is generally (b).

Personally, I like the light to come on in a reasonably short period
after I've flicked the lightswitch, and not try and give me an
epileptic seizure while doing so.

The alternative is wiring in an electronic hf ballast - is this Part P
covered? If not, any recommendations on that score, and gotchas and
things to avoid?

Thanks,

Sid


No such animal. If you want instant starting you need to use a
different type of ballast, one capable of instant starting the tubes.
Such ballasts dont have starters. Tubes dont last so well operated
like that, hence its not common practice.

The next best thing is a starter that waits about 2 seconds then
starts the tube without flicker. (The old thermal starters did a good
job of that, but you cant use them.) There are various ways to achieve
this, but the right electronic starter is a simple option, or if
you've electronic skills a simple RC delayed relay would work.


NT

"not common practice". Perhaps not with standard fluorescent lamps,
but with CFLs it appears to be extremely common practice. I have
several GE spiral CFLs that are instant on, and stick CFLs from many
manufacturers that are the same. I've not measured them to see if
'instant' is actually a 0.3s delay, but they reliably come on without
blinking, and if not instant, in a very short time. I'm aware that
CFLs use high frequency ballasts.

With a standard fluorescent, perhaps there are high frequency ballasts
that operate like the CFLs I have?

Or maybe I should just remove the standard fluorescent fitting and put
in some CFLs instead?

Thanks,

Sid