User Example wrote:

"User Example" wrote in message
. ..

I have a fluourescent lamp that has a button that I have to hold down
for a few seconds for the light to turn on. The switch is broke.
Anyone know where I could find such a specialty switch? I searched
around but no luck.



It is probably a NO momentary closed switch. Any Radio Shack or
electronics
store would have one. Searched where?


No, it's not that easy. I think Joseph was correct about the switch
type. The OP didn't say it, but likely that lamp has a second (usually
black) button you push to turn it off. The first (usually red) button
closed a toggling switch to apply power to the lamp, but when held
down a second momentary contact closed the filament circuit just like
a "starter" did. After a couple of seconds the filaments were hot and
when you released the button an inductive spike from the ballast
started the flourescent's arc.

Pushing the second button toggled the switch off. Sometimes there was
no second button 'cause the first button had an "alternate on-off"
switch action in addition to the momentary contact.

If the OP really loves that old lamp he could replace the "broke"
switch with a slide or toggle on-off switch plus a NO momentary closed
pushbutton switch. It'd take two separate actions to light the lamp,
but only one to shut it off. That's providing the OP knows what to
look for and can trace out the wiring so he can figure out how to
connect the two switches properly.

That's probably what I'd do if that old lamp held memories for me and
I was going to be the only person using it. :-)


It is actually one of those magnifying glass lamps like on workbench
tables. It's a nice one so I want to fix the lamp if I can. I took the
broken switch apart to see what is wrong and how it works. The button
had a piece broken off and it is missing so I can't fix it.

The switch similar to described above. There are two parts actually.
One part turns on or off each time the button is pressed via a
ratcheting spinner. The 2nd part turns on only momentarily when the
switch is pressed.

I have seen 3 position toggle switches with the 3rd position spring
loaded. If I could find one of those I could make it work. I tried
looking in digi-key but didnt see one, though.

Yes, but the ones like that I've seen are all "center off" types which
make a momentary contact in one direction away from center and will
toggle and stay in the opposite direction. That won't do it for you, you
need to connect power to the lamp and then "play starter" by making and
breaking the filament circuit.

How about replacing the present switch with one of the commonly
available "twist" lamp switches and drill another hole to mount a NO
momenttary contact push button switch to start the lamp with?

STOP THE PRESSES! Can you fit this one in?

http://www.egaynor.com/edwin_gaynor_lampholders/666.htm

It has the switching characteristics you need, and is the "two button"
style I was bloviating about in my previous post. You'd need the "one
lamp" model.

HTH,

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."