I do lighting as a business........35+ years........yes the starter you
mentioned will work fine.

another poster says starters havent been used in decades..........they are
full of crap.

Lowes, Home depot, pet stores (aquarium lights) still sell this type of
fixture
and these are in CURRENT PRODUCTION with fixtures of this type,


4watt t-5
6watt t-5
8watt t-5
14watt t-8
14watt t-12
15watt t-8
15watt t-12
20watt t-8
20watt t-12
various pl lamps use built in glass type starters anything with 2 pins.
and rarely
30watt t-8
30watt t-12

all of the above up to the 20 watt are currently available as FRESH STOCK
from any decent lighting supplier.

the 4' t-12 40 watt bi-pin and 5' F-90 t-17 have not been available since
the mid 1970's except as special order replacements.

Herb Harrison owner Harrison Lighting & Neon

ps see http://www.answers.com/topic/fluorescent-lamp
http://www.answers.com/topic/fluorescent-lamp-formats




----- Original Message -----
From: "Tegger"
Newsgroups: alt.home.repair
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 4:29 PM
Subject: Fluorescent starter-switch question


I have an older 18" fluorescent lamp that takes a 15WT8 bulb. As of this
morning, it no marcha. I suspect the starter switch, which is your glass-
tube type and is pretty black inside.

The problem is, I can't find any 15W starter switches at any location
close
to me. I can, however, cheaply and easily find a white, cylindrical
starter
switch that says, "13w, 30w, 40w" on it.

Can I use this "13w, 30w, 40w" switch with my 15w lamp?

--
Tegger

"Harrison Lighting and Neon" wrote in
:

I do lighting as a business........35+ years........yes the starter
you mentioned will work fine.

another poster says starters havent been used in decades..........they
are full of crap.




Thank you.

Now, does it matter which leg of the cylindrical starter goes on which
wire? I don't have the starter yet, so I don't know if there are
designations for each pin.



--
Tegger

If there were, I'd figure the pins would been different sizes. Cram, twist,
light.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Tegger" wrote in message
...

Thank you.

Now, does it matter which leg of the cylindrical starter goes on which
wire? I don't have the starter yet, so I don't know if there are
designations for each pin.



--
Tegger

nope........on TWO pin starters direction dosent matter.............many
years ago a 4 pin starter was available ( this would qualify as OLD )
anything you buy today that is close in wattage will work........at the very
worst lamp will blink but not get damaged.


"Tegger" wrote in message
...
"Harrison Lighting and Neon" wrote in
:

I do lighting as a business........35+ years........yes the starter
you mentioned will work fine.

another poster says starters havent been used in decades..........they
are full of crap.




Thank you.

Now, does it matter which leg of the cylindrical starter goes on which
wire? I don't have the starter yet, so I don't know if there are
designations for each pin.



--
Tegger

On Jan 7, 7:10*am, Tegger wrote:
"Harrison Lighting and Neon" wrote :

I do lighting as a business........35+ years........yes the starter
you mentioned will work fine.

another poster says starters havent been used in decades..........they
are full of crap.

Thank you.

Now, does it matter which leg of the cylindrical starter goes on which
wire? I don't have the starter yet, so I don't know if there are
designations for each pin.

--
Tegger

no it does not matter, sorry about the 3 postings earlier, my computer
went bonkers

"Harrison Lighting and Neon" wrote in
:

nope........on TWO pin starters direction dosent
matter.............many years ago a 4 pin starter was available ( this
would qualify as OLD ) anything you buy today that is close in wattage
will work........at the very worst lamp will blink but not get
damaged.



I don't think it's the starter that's wrong. See my reply in the other
thread.


--
Tegger

On Jan 7, 6:53*pm, Tegger wrote:
"Harrison Lighting and Neon" wrote :

nope........on TWO pin starters direction dosent
matter.............many years ago a 4 pin starter was available ( this
would qualify as OLD ) anything you buy today that is close in wattage
will work........at the very worst lamp will blink but not get
damaged.

I don't think it's the starter that's wrong. See my reply in the other
thread.

--
Tegger

Four pin starters had a little bi-metal strip and a separate heater/
resistor, hence four pins. Haven't seen one for years.

The two pin ones have bimetal strip(s) inside a neon tube. The heat
from the discharge from the neon bends them to make contact. When the
tube strikes the voltage across the strips is reduced hence no
discharge & they then remain open.

harry wrote in
:



The two pin ones have bimetal strip(s) inside a neon tube. The heat
from the discharge from the neon bends them to make contact. When the
tube strikes the voltage across the strips is reduced hence no
discharge & they then remain open.



I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this.

Do the ionized gases in the tube present less resistance to current-flow
than the tiny air-gap formed as the starter contacts begin to re-open?


--
Tegger

On 1/7/2012 5:28 PM, Tegger wrote:
wrote in
:



The two pin ones have bimetal strip(s) inside a neon tube. The heat
from the discharge from the neon bends them to make contact. When the
tube strikes the voltage across the strips is reduced hence no
discharge& they then remain open.



I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this.

Do the ionized gases in the tube present less resistance to current-flow
than the tiny air-gap formed as the starter contacts begin to re-open?


The glass envelope of the starter is basically a neon lamp with a
bi-metal short. When current first flows through the starter, the
bi-metal strip heats up and pulls away from the other terminal and
if current is flowing through a good florescent tube, there is enough
current/voltage to light off the neon in the starter. The heat from
the lit neon keeps the bi-metal strip hot enough to stay bent away from
the other contact. When you hear a click, click, click along with the
ends of a darkened florescent tube glowing on and off, it's usually
because the tubes have worn out and no current is flowing through the
lit tubes so the starter keeps heating up and cooling down as it tries
to heat the filaments in the tube ends to ionize the gas in the tube and
start the reaction that ionizes all the gas in the tube so it glows. The
ionized gas is what conducts electricity to keep the neon
gas in the starter lit. I hope this helps you understand how it works.

TDD

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:18:16 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 1/7/2012 5:28 PM, Tegger wrote:
wrote in
:



The two pin ones have bimetal strip(s) inside a neon tube. The heat
from the discharge from the neon bends them to make contact. When the
tube strikes the voltage across the strips is reduced hence no
discharge& they then remain open.



I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this.

Do the ionized gases in the tube present less resistance to current-flow
than the tiny air-gap formed as the starter contacts begin to re-open?


The glass envelope of the starter is basically a neon lamp with a
bi-metal short. When current first flows through the starter, the
bi-metal strip heats up and pulls away from the other terminal and
if current is flowing through a good florescent tube, there is enough
current/voltage to light off the neon in the starter. The heat from
the lit neon keeps the bi-metal strip hot enough to stay bent away from
the other contact. When you hear a click, click, click along with the
ends of a darkened florescent tube glowing on and off, it's usually
because the tubes have worn out and no current is flowing through the
lit tubes so the starter keeps heating up and cooling down as it tries
to heat the filaments in the tube ends to ionize the gas in the tube and
start the reaction that ionizes all the gas in the tube so it glows. The
ionized gas is what conducts electricity to keep the neon
gas in the starter lit. I hope this helps you understand how it works.

TDD
Not exactly how they work, guys.

The glow tube, in series with the filaments and the ballast
incorporates a normally open switch in parallel with the glow tube.
..When power is applied, a glow discharge takes place heating the
bimetal contact. A second or so later, the contacts close - which
causes the current - limited by the ballast - to flow through the
filaments - heating them up, emitting electrons so the flourescent
tube can fire. The contacts short out the starter glow tube, so it
shuts down, allowing the switch to cool and open. When the contacts
open. the inductive kick generated at the instant of opening triggers
the main discharge in the fluorescent tube. . When the main tube
fires, the voltage across the tube is below the firing voltage of the
neon starter glow-tube so it does not glow, and the filaments stay
un-lit.
If the tube extinguishes, or fails to light, the voltage across the
tube increases to the firing voltage of the neon tube, and the starter
attempts to re-fire the tube, repeating the sequence.

On 1/7/2012 10:45 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:18:16 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 1/7/2012 5:28 PM, Tegger wrote:
wrote in
:



The two pin ones have bimetal strip(s) inside a neon tube. The heat
from the discharge from the neon bends them to make contact. When the
tube strikes the voltage across the strips is reduced hence no
discharge& they then remain open.



I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this.

Do the ionized gases in the tube present less resistance to current-flow
than the tiny air-gap formed as the starter contacts begin to re-open?


The glass envelope of the starter is basically a neon lamp with a
bi-metal short. When current first flows through the starter, the
bi-metal strip heats up and pulls away from the other terminal and
if current is flowing through a good florescent tube, there is enough
current/voltage to light off the neon in the starter. The heat from
the lit neon keeps the bi-metal strip hot enough to stay bent away from
the other contact. When you hear a click, click, click along with the
ends of a darkened florescent tube glowing on and off, it's usually
because the tubes have worn out and no current is flowing through the
lit tubes so the starter keeps heating up and cooling down as it tries
to heat the filaments in the tube ends to ionize the gas in the tube and
start the reaction that ionizes all the gas in the tube so it glows. The
ionized gas is what conducts electricity to keep the neon
gas in the starter lit. I hope this helps you understand how it works.

TDD
Not exactly how they work, guys.

The glow tube, in series with the filaments and the ballast
incorporates a normally open switch in parallel with the glow tube.
.When power is applied, a glow discharge takes place heating the
bimetal contact. A second or so later, the contacts close - which
causes the current - limited by the ballast - to flow through the
filaments - heating them up, emitting electrons so the flourescent
tube can fire. The contacts short out the starter glow tube, so it
shuts down, allowing the switch to cool and open. When the contacts
open. the inductive kick generated at the instant of opening triggers
the main discharge in the fluorescent tube. . When the main tube
fires, the voltage across the tube is below the firing voltage of the
neon starter glow-tube so it does not glow, and the filaments stay
un-lit.
If the tube extinguishes, or fails to light, the voltage across the
tube increases to the firing voltage of the neon tube, and the starter
attempts to re-fire the tube, repeating the sequence.


Darn, You're right, I forgot all about the inductive kick! D'oh! o_O

TDD

On Jan 7, 11:28*pm, Tegger wrote:
harry wrote :



The two pin ones have bimetal strip(s) inside a neon tube. *The heat
from the discharge from the neon bends them to make contact. When the
tube strikes the voltage across the strips is reduced hence no
discharge & they then remain open.

I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this.

Do the ionized gases in the tube present less resistance to current-flow
than the tiny air-gap formed as the starter contacts begin to re-open?

--
Tegger

When the light is switched on the current flows throught
ballast,thence through a filiment to the starter and then to the other
filiment &back to the neautral. The starter is in the open position
but the discharge across the points (which are bi metal sealed into a
glass tube with low pressure neon) causes them to bend and close. A
high current flows whcih heats the filiments so ionising the gases
(low pressure argon and mercury) in the tube.
When the starter points close the neon discharge stops and afer a
second or so they open.
The opening causes a high voltage discharge from the ballast which
starts a discharge along the tube. The tube goes from very high
resistance to very low resistance when running. The ballast then
limits the current flow.

So most of the volt drop changes from being across the tube at the
instant of switch on (and the starter as it is in parallel) to being
across the ballast.
So when the tube is running it "shorts out" the starter, there is
insufficient voltage to cause a discharge.

The tube has a virtually nil resistance when running due to the
mercury vapour in the ionised arc and it has a relatively large cross
sectional area.
The starter needs a higher voltage than is available during running to
initiate the discharge as it has no mercury and the gas pressure in it
is higher plus it is a different gas.

All very simple in theory but it took years of experiment to make it
work.

WRONG

take apart a starter and look at it with no power applied.........OPEN
CIRCUIT.......when energized the GLOW heats the bi-metal strip which CLOSES
this completes the circuit lighting the ends of the lamp. once this happens
the glow in the starter is extinguished...hence NO HEAT to keep the bi-metal
strip in the closed posisition (completing the loop) bi-metal strip returns
to the OPEN posisition the voltage spike ignites the fluorescent lamp with
the voltage drop across the lamp keeping the glow of the starter from
reigniting.......or if the fluor doesn't start the glow switch (starter)
repeats the cycle.

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AS THERE IS A LOT OF WRONG ADVISE BEING GIVEN HERE,

I have been doing lighting for 35+ years and an electrical engineer for 25
of them. If you don't know what your talking about DON'T PRETEND YOU DO.

Herb Harrison
Harrison Lighting & Neon est. 1979 ( yes, I am an expert in this one area.)



ps...the following was taken fronm fix-ya

According to Sam's F-Lamp FAQ:

The most common fluorescent starter is called a "glow tube starter" (or
just starter) and contains a small gas (neon, etc.) filled tube and an
optional radio frequency interference (RFI) suppression capacitor in a
cylindrical aluminum can with a 2 pin base. While all starters are
physically interchangeable, the wattage rating of the starter should be
matched to the wattage rating of the fluorescent tubes for reliable
operation and long life.
The glow tube incorporates a switch which is normally open. When power is
applied, a glow discharge takes place which heats a bimetal contact. A
second or so later, the contacts close and provide current to the
fluorescent filaments. Since the glow is extinguished, there is no longer
any heating of the bimetal and the contacts open. The inductive kick
generated at the instant of opening triggers the main discharge in the
fluorescent tube. If the contacts open at a bad time, there isn't enough
inductive kick and the process repeats.





"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...
On 1/7/2012 5:28 PM, Tegger wrote:
wrote in
:



The two pin ones have bimetal strip(s) inside a neon tube. The heat
from the discharge from the neon bends them to make contact. When the
tube strikes the voltage across the strips is reduced hence no
discharge& they then remain open.



I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this.

Do the ionized gases in the tube present less resistance to current-flow
than the tiny air-gap formed as the starter contacts begin to re-open?


The glass envelope of the starter is basically a neon lamp with a bi-metal
short. When current first flows through the starter, the
bi-metal strip heats up and pulls away from the other terminal and
if current is flowing through a good florescent tube, there is enough
current/voltage to light off the neon in the starter. The heat from
the lit neon keeps the bi-metal strip hot enough to stay bent away from
the other contact. When you hear a click, click, click along with the
ends of a darkened florescent tube glowing on and off, it's usually
because the tubes have worn out and no current is flowing through the
lit tubes so the starter keeps heating up and cooling down as it tries to
heat the filaments in the tube ends to ionize the gas in the tube and
start the reaction that ionizes all the gas in the tube so it glows. The
ionized gas is what conducts electricity to keep the neon
gas in the starter lit. I hope this helps you understand how it works.

TDD

On 1/8/2012 10:20 AM, Harrison Lighting and Neon wrote:
WRONG


You're right, I got it bassacwards. o_O

TDD

"Harrison Lighting and Neon" wrote in
:

WRONG

take apart a starter and look at it with no power applied.........OPEN
CIRCUIT.......when energized the GLOW heats the bi-metal strip which
CLOSES this completes the circuit lighting the ends of the lamp. once
this happens the glow in the starter is extinguished...hence NO HEAT
to keep the bi-metal strip in the closed posisition (completing the
loop) bi-metal strip returns to the OPEN posisition the voltage spike
ignites the fluorescent lamp with the voltage drop across the lamp
keeping the glow of the starter from reigniting.......or if the fluor
doesn't start the glow switch (starter) repeats the cycle.

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AS THERE IS A LOT OF WRONG ADVISE BEING GIVEN
HERE,

I have been doing lighting for 35+ years and an electrical engineer
for 25 of them. If you don't know what your talking about DON'T
PRETEND YOU DO.

Herb Harrison
Harrison Lighting & Neon est. 1979 ( yes, I am an expert in this one
area.)



ps...the following was taken fronm fix-ya

According to Sam's F-Lamp FAQ:

The most common fluorescent starter is called a "glow tube starter"
(or
just starter) and contains a small gas (neon, etc.) filled tube and an
optional radio frequency interference (RFI) suppression capacitor in a
cylindrical aluminum can with a 2 pin base. While all starters are
physically interchangeable, the wattage rating of the starter should
be matched to the wattage rating of the fluorescent tubes for reliable
operation and long life.
The glow tube incorporates a switch which is normally open. When power
is applied, a glow discharge takes place which heats a bimetal
contact. A second or so later, the contacts close and provide current
to the fluorescent filaments. Since the glow is extinguished, there is
no longer any heating of the bimetal and the contacts open. The
inductive kick generated at the instant of opening triggers the main
discharge in the fluorescent tube. If the contacts open at a bad time,
there isn't enough inductive kick and the process repeats.



I haven't got the heart to snip the above excellent information

I /think/ I get it now: That inductive kick is everything.

The system seems to work similarly to an automotive ignition coil,
except that with the auto coil you have a transistor (or old-style
breaker points) breaking current to the coil, and that break inducing a
high-voltage spike.

In the case of the car engine, the spike jumps the gap across the spark
plugs, whereas in the light fixture the surge causes a "spark" (ionized
gases) from filament to filament inside the bulb.

Can you please explain why the spike would ignite the bulb instead of
just creating a new spark across the terminals of the starter? Is it
simply because the bulb is closer to the power source than the starter
contacts?


--
Tegger

harry wrote in
:



So most of the volt drop changes from being across the tube at the
instant of switch on (and the starter as it is in parallel) to being
across the ballast.



But if the tube hasn't "struck" yet, then wouldn't there be an absence of
current-flow through it until it strikes from the HT surge? Or does curent
begin to flow during the ionization period?



So when the tube is running it "shorts out" the starter, there is
insufficient voltage to cause a discharge.


I guess because the tube offers a path of less resistance than the now-open
starter?



The tube has a virtually nil resistance when running due to the
mercury vapour in the ionised arc and it has a relatively large cross
sectional area.
The starter needs a higher voltage than is available during running to
initiate the discharge as it has no mercury and the gas pressure in it
is higher plus it is a different gas.

All very simple in theory but it took years of experiment to make it
work.



I'll bet. Like a lot of seemingly-simple technology.

The system seems to be basically two incandescent bulbs in the same housing
with their light being produced by the gases between their filaments
instead of from the filaments themselves. This seems to be the reason why
fluorescents consume less electricity than incandescents: it takes much
less current to keep gases glowing than to keep filaments glowing.


--
Tegger

On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 23:29:04 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:


I haven't got the heart to snip the above excellent information

I /think/ I get it now: That inductive kick is everything.

The system seems to work similarly to an automotive ignition coil,
except that with the auto coil you have a transistor (or old-style
breaker points) breaking current to the coil, and that break inducing a
high-voltage spike.

In the case of the car engine, the spike jumps the gap across the spark
plugs, whereas in the light fixture the surge causes a "spark" (ionized
gases) from filament to filament inside the bulb.

Can you please explain why the spike would ignite the bulb instead of
just creating a new spark across the terminals of the starter? Is it
simply because the bulb is closer to the power source than the starter
contacts?
No - it is because the ionization voltage of the mercury vapour in
the fluorescent tube is lower than the firing voltage of the neon tube
- because of the "thermionic emissions" produced by the heated
filaments. The fluorescent tube is a very low resistance - which drops
to a virtual short circuit when it fires. Not sure what the voltage
drop is across a lit tube - but it is LOW. - in the 30 volt range, I
think - while a neon tube requires 70+

On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 23:49:04 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

harry wrote in
:



So most of the volt drop changes from being across the tube at the
instant of switch on (and the starter as it is in parallel) to being
across the ballast.



But if the tube hasn't "struck" yet, then wouldn't there be an absence of
current-flow through it until it strikes from the HT surge? Or does curent
begin to flow during the ionization period?



So when the tube is running it "shorts out" the starter, there is
insufficient voltage to cause a discharge.


I guess because the tube offers a path of less resistance than the now-open
starter?



The tube has a virtually nil resistance when running due to the
mercury vapour in the ionised arc and it has a relatively large cross
sectional area.
The starter needs a higher voltage than is available during running to
initiate the discharge as it has no mercury and the gas pressure in it
is higher plus it is a different gas.

All very simple in theory but it took years of experiment to make it
work.



I'll bet. Like a lot of seemingly-simple technology.

The system seems to be basically two incandescent bulbs in the same housing
with their light being produced by the gases between their filaments
instead of from the filaments themselves. This seems to be the reason why
fluorescents consume less electricity than incandescents: it takes much
less current to keep gases glowing than to keep filaments glowing.
If the tube doesn't strike, the starter sequence repeats itself.
That's why some old lamps blinked on startup.

Hi the

this is a grey area of my knowledge, but my understanding is the ignition
point (strike voltage) is lower in the lamp different vapor pressure (argon)
and added Mercury make for a strike point around 160volts the vapor
pressure in the starter is much higher but the spacing of the points is
closer and no merc..........it will glow at around 90volts
power takes path of least resistance the fluor is first in line of what is
"effectively" a parallel circuit between the lamp and starter when it
points are open during the strikeing of the lamp.

Hopefully that made some since to you as it would have been much easier if I
could have posted a drawing. If your really interested I can look up the
explanation in layman's terms and get it to you off group. Unfortunately
its late and my brain is mush right now. my email is











"Tegger" wrote in message
...
"Harrison Lighting and Neon" wrote in
:

WRONG

take apart a starter and look at it with no power applied.........OPEN
CIRCUIT.......when energized the GLOW heats the bi-metal strip which
CLOSES this completes the circuit lighting the ends of the lamp. once
this happens the glow in the starter is extinguished...hence NO HEAT
to keep the bi-metal strip in the closed posisition (completing the
loop) bi-metal strip returns to the OPEN posisition the voltage spike
ignites the fluorescent lamp with the voltage drop across the lamp
keeping the glow of the starter from reigniting.......or if the fluor
doesn't start the glow switch (starter) repeats the cycle.

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AS THERE IS A LOT OF WRONG ADVISE BEING GIVEN
HERE,

I have been doing lighting for 35+ years and an electrical engineer
for 25 of them. If you don't know what your talking about DON'T
PRETEND YOU DO.

Herb Harrison
Harrison Lighting & Neon est. 1979 ( yes, I am an expert in this one
area.)



ps...the following was taken fronm fix-ya

According to Sam's F-Lamp FAQ:

The most common fluorescent starter is called a "glow tube starter"
(or
just starter) and contains a small gas (neon, etc.) filled tube and an
optional radio frequency interference (RFI) suppression capacitor in a
cylindrical aluminum can with a 2 pin base. While all starters are
physically interchangeable, the wattage rating of the starter should
be matched to the wattage rating of the fluorescent tubes for reliable
operation and long life.
The glow tube incorporates a switch which is normally open. When power
is applied, a glow discharge takes place which heats a bimetal
contact. A second or so later, the contacts close and provide current
to the fluorescent filaments. Since the glow is extinguished, there is
no longer any heating of the bimetal and the contacts open. The
inductive kick generated at the instant of opening triggers the main
discharge in the fluorescent tube. If the contacts open at a bad time,
there isn't enough inductive kick and the process repeats.



I haven't got the heart to snip the above excellent information

I /think/ I get it now: That inductive kick is everything.

The system seems to work similarly to an automotive ignition coil,
except that with the auto coil you have a transistor (or old-style
breaker points) breaking current to the coil, and that break inducing a
high-voltage spike.

In the case of the car engine, the spike jumps the gap across the spark
plugs, whereas in the light fixture the surge causes a "spark" (ionized
gases) from filament to filament inside the bulb.

Can you please explain why the spike would ignite the bulb instead of
just creating a new spark across the terminals of the starter? Is it
simply because the bulb is closer to the power source than the starter
contacts?


--
Tegger

On 1/8/2012 6:29 PM, Tegger wrote:
"Harrison Lighting and wrote in
:

WRONG

take apart a starter and look at it with no power applied.........OPEN
CIRCUIT.......when energized the GLOW heats the bi-metal strip which
CLOSES this completes the circuit lighting the ends of the lamp. once
this happens the glow in the starter is extinguished...hence NO HEAT
to keep the bi-metal strip in the closed posisition (completing the
loop) bi-metal strip returns to the OPEN posisition the voltage spike
ignites the fluorescent lamp with the voltage drop across the lamp
keeping the glow of the starter from reigniting.......or if the fluor
doesn't start the glow switch (starter) repeats the cycle.

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AS THERE IS A LOT OF WRONG ADVISE BEING GIVEN
HERE,

I have been doing lighting for 35+ years and an electrical engineer
for 25 of them. If you don't know what your talking about DON'T
PRETEND YOU DO.

Herb Harrison
Harrison Lighting& Neon est. 1979 ( yes, I am an expert in this one
area.)



ps...the following was taken fronm fix-ya

According to Sam's F-Lamp FAQ:

The most common fluorescent starter is called a "glow tube starter"
(or
just starter) and contains a small gas (neon, etc.) filled tube and an
optional radio frequency interference (RFI) suppression capacitor in a
cylindrical aluminum can with a 2 pin base. While all starters are
physically interchangeable, the wattage rating of the starter should
be matched to the wattage rating of the fluorescent tubes for reliable
operation and long life.
The glow tube incorporates a switch which is normally open. When power
is applied, a glow discharge takes place which heats a bimetal
contact. A second or so later, the contacts close and provide current
to the fluorescent filaments. Since the glow is extinguished, there is
no longer any heating of the bimetal and the contacts open. The
inductive kick generated at the instant of opening triggers the main
discharge in the fluorescent tube. If the contacts open at a bad time,
there isn't enough inductive kick and the process repeats.



I haven't got the heart to snip the above excellent information

I /think/ I get it now: That inductive kick is everything.

The system seems to work similarly to an automotive ignition coil,
except that with the auto coil you have a transistor (or old-style
breaker points) breaking current to the coil, and that break inducing a
high-voltage spike.

In the case of the car engine, the spike jumps the gap across the spark
plugs, whereas in the light fixture the surge causes a "spark" (ionized
gases) from filament to filament inside the bulb.

Can you please explain why the spike would ignite the bulb instead of
just creating a new spark across the terminals of the starter? Is it
simply because the bulb is closer to the power source than the starter
contacts?


It all has to do with the magnetic field in the ballast collapsing when
the starter, or switch OPENS. This creates a "kickback" voltage
(inductive kick) many times higher than the mains voltage, enough to
ignite the bulb when it is cold. In AC circuits it never lights first
time every time because it depends where in the AC cycle the power is.
If the AC is crossing the zero volt line when the starter opens, then
there is no or little kickback voltage. An auto ignition runs on DC so
there is always power, and always a kickback voltage every time the
points open. The kickback voltage easily passes through the starter
(either jumping the switch contacts and/or ionizing the neon) allowing
the kickback voltage to go across each end of the fluorescent bulb.
Back to the auto ignition, there IS a spark across the points when they
open, this is however suppressed by the capacitor (condenser) in the
circuit to keep the points from pitting and burning up prematurely.

I hope that makes sense.