On 02/05/2018 12:55 PM, Terry Schwartz wrote:
I don't know anything about your particular bulb, but as far as I do know, most gas-discharge bulbs require an initial high voltage strike to ionize the gas, which can be followed by a lower maintaining voltage. Neon bulbs and nixie tubes work this way -- they become essentially constant voltage zeners once ionized. A series resistor typically provides the current limiting and drops the excess voltage.

I think other forms of discharge lamps work in a similar fashion. However, some sort of electronic ballast is used and is more efficient than using a resistor.




Thank you.


The best I could do with the unit was to get the bulb to light
dimly...maybe equal to a 50 watt incandescent at best.


I had no schematic and the wires were a rat's nest.