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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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5th Feb 2020, 1:59 pm | #21 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Weymouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 422
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Re: Fluorescent Light with BC Light in
The Atlas brand fittings did indeed use a filament lamp instead of a choke, it was part of an effort by them to try to make a lightweight flouro lamp that could be used in domestic settings without the need to install new wiring. I did some experiments a while back using filament lamps as ballasts in 2 and 4 foot fittings it all worked surprisingly well, the tubes were a little dimmer and slower to start but the difference was hardly a big problem. I used 100 and 150 watt bulbs, both worked well
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5th Feb 2020, 4:17 pm | #22 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
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Re: Fluorescent Light with BC Light in
As the correct tungsten ballast lamps are no longer readily available, a possible alternative would be 196 volt, 100 watt lamps which were manufactured until recently and may still be made, they are available from several sources.
One of those in series with a four foot, 40 watt lamp works fine. |
6th Feb 2020, 11:57 am | #23 |
Octode
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Ventnor, Isle of Wight, & Great Dunmow, Essex, UK.
Posts: 1,377
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Re: Fluorescent Light with BC Light in
As was mentioned earlier in the thread, this old thread on fluorescent lighting makes fascinating reading. It's well worth working through although it's very long!
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=59586 I've yet to see an incandescent lamp grafted onto a 4 pin starter, but will now know what it is when I find one! All the best Nick |
6th Feb 2020, 2:02 pm | #24 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
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Re: Fluorescent Light with BC Light in
Another rather odd option for a series ballast lamp might be Christmas lights.
8 of the common 20 volt, 3 watt lamps in series would drop the correct voltage of 160 volts. 3 such strings in parallel would be about the right current at 0.45 amps. Or 50 volt 25 watt pilot lamps, three in series. |