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KB2VXA > LIGHTS 16.12.04 14:20l 62 Lines 2939 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 32360_WT3V
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: ZR2ACJ > flourescent lights
Path: DB0FHN<DB0MRW<DB0FSG<HB9EAS<HB9AK<K1UOL<K1UOL<WA2SNA<KC2COJ<WT3V
Sent: 041215/1652Z @:WT3V.#CNJ.NJ.USA.NOAM #:32360 [Lakehurst] $:32360_WT3V
From: KB2VXA@WT3V.#CNJ.NJ.USA.NOAM
To : LIGHTS@WW
Hi Andy and all,
You asked for layman's terms so I'll try to keep it simple, I don't
understand the Greek figures anyway. Also I'll not include the inverter
ballast since your questions seem to deal with the ordinary ones.
1) It's not a transformer in the usual sense, most commonly a reactor
having one winding. It's primarily a current limiting device but also
provides the high voltage (inductive kick much like an ignition coil in
an automobile engine) to strike the arc.
2) The capacitor (assuming it's in the starter) prevents arcing and
welding of the starter contacts, otherwise it's for RFI suppression.
3) The starter is a variation on the common neon/argon glow lamp. The
curved movable arm is a bimetal strip like one in a thermostat which is
heated by the glow discharge and contacts the opposite one completing the
circuit and extinguishing the glow. With the circuit complete the end
filaments in the lamp receive current and heat up vaporizing the metallic
mercury globules deposited on them during manufacture and when the lamp
cools. This provides the rarified mercury vapor which provides the UV
radiation that excites the phosphor when the lamp is in operation. If the
arc should fail to strike the first time, the bimetal opens and the cycle
begins anew. BTW, if you remove the metal can you can see it in
operation, just be careful since it's fragile and don't forget to replace
it for safety. (;->)
4) Actually the lamp doesn't require two filaments but having two means
twice the efficiency in striking the arc. Then again it saves the
manufacturer the trouble of making two different electrodes which would
complicate the assembly line and likely cost more to produce.
Now just to give the inverter ballast honorable mention, it works on high
voltage, high frequency with low current much like a Tesla coil. Now the
reason I mentioned that is it's a giant leap backward to the inventor of
the whole thing, lamp and power supply, Nikola Tesla. Since the inverter
ballast is so efficient and energy saving do you think Nick may have had
the right idea in the first place? All it took is solid state devices and
torroidial transformers to bring his invention into the modern age.
BTW, I expect to see plenty of who invented what stuff once again. For
those of you in dispute I refer you to any of the Tesla web sites for a
photograph of the inventor with his flourescent lamp in hand much like th
e one of Edison holding his incandescent lamp. And don't tell me some
monk in Outer Mongolia invented it either! (;->)
73 de Warren, KB2VXA@WT3V.#CNJ.NJ.USA.NOAM
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Message timed by NIST: 17:07 on 2004-Dec-15 GMT
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