I'm ready to change one of my 6 foot fluorescent tubes. The tube is 75w but I noticed that the starter fitted is rated 4-65w. It has always worked ok with that starter but could there be a problem or safety issue using a too low W starter? Had a look in B&Q and they do 2 types (4-65w and 70-100w). Is it best to get the higher one to be on the safe side?
The symptom of using too low a value starter is that it can keep trying to start the tube after it is properly started, and this is more likely in lower temperature conditions. If it's working OK for you, don't worry about it. I don't think there's any safety related issue. In commercial premises, the starter will often be replaced with the tube anyway, as the cost of the starter is insignificant compared with the total relamping cost -- the cost of replacing a dead starter later is much higher.
I've used a 4-65w starter on a 400W mercury vapour lamp to speed up the hot restrike time, and the starter doesn't come to any harm (although it only reduces the restrike time by about a factor of 2, which wasn't good enough for the application).
Thanks for that. Now you mention it, I have a similar 6 foot tube in the garage with a 65w starter and that has started to flash on & off like a disco light now the cold weather is here! I remember fitting that with a
75-125w starter but it took ages to come on so I replaced it with a 65 and it was ok. I will give the 70-100w from B&Q a try - might be a more suitable rating.
Why not invest in electronic starters? Better for the tube and none of the disco effect caused by trying to start the tube to early. You won't need to replace them with the tube either.
Thanks for that. Do you know who sells the electronic ones? Had a look at Maplins and local stores but can only find the conventional starters.
I just lifted up a box whilst looking for something, and what should be there but the June 1982 issue of Elektor magazine, featuring on the front cover a project to build an electronic starter for fluorescent lamps, which fits inside a starter can. Unfortunately a web search doesn't turn it up and Elektor's web pages don't go back that far.
However, it does say the circuit is patented 1223733, and this appears to be available for download from the US patent office, but I gave up when it required me to download a specific TIFF image viewer.
A google search turned up this site selling them @ 2.99
Just about no one, the complete fittings with electronic starters are so cheap that it doesn't make sense to sell the starters seprately I don't think. I tried to get some a few months ago with no luck at all.
If you find a supplier I'd be interested but remember that complete fittings with electronics starters are around £12 for a 4ft.
Ah, but that's not quite the same thing is it? It's a plug in replacement for a glow discharge type starter but still uses the choke etc. It won't give you quick, flicker free start-up will it?
An 'electronic ballast' is more than just the starter, it's the whole caboodle and replaces the 'starter' and the choke. There is then no starter or at least not a replaceable one.
Not quick, but definitely flicker free. These well-worth-having devices give a well defined pre-heat time after which a good tube will strike first time. Much better all round than a glow starter and a fraction of the cost of converting to an HF electronic ballast.
Ah, right, thanks. I hadn't realised they are a sort of half-way house then and certainly worth upgrading to if only to avoid that irritating flickering. I see an order coming up (or a visit to my local Denmans).
You won't want to go back to glow starters once you've go to used to these. BTW they only work in standard inductive ballast circuits. I tried one once in a Thorn pop-pack twin fitting (PP270) one half of which used a leading circuit (i.e. capacitive ballast with small series inductor for striking) and it wasn't happy at all.
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