All good stuff. Many thanks all.
Peter

On 12 Jan 2004 14:37:33 -0800, (N. Thornton) wrote:

Harry Bloomfield wrote in message .uk...
Peter wrote on 12/01/2004 :-
Can anyone tell me what the point is at which it is better to leave a
38W fluorescent strip on to save electricity rather than turn it off
and then on again?


Hi

Fls do take a higher current during start, but we're only talking 2 to
3x run current. The old leave em on thing is a myth. Repeated
switching does affect the life of the tube, but then so does leaving
them on, and that eats lectrickery. All in all if you dont need it
switch it off.

The old 4 pin thermal starters from the 1940s were slower operating
IIRC, so the start current continued longer, and this shortened the
life of the then scarce tubes, so there may have been something to it
once.

If inadequate light when first on is an issue - ie in outdoor apps -
consider using the fatter tubes which suffer much less from this than
the modern thinner ones.


Regards, NT