A fluorescent lamp starting device without a starter

There are usually two types of fluorescent lamp control devices: one is to use electronic ballast, and the other is to use inductive ballast. The fluorescent lamp control circuit using inductive ballast requires a starter, and the life of the starter is generally 5,000 times. Each time the fluorescent lamp is turned on, the starter needs to be started two or three times. If the voltage is low and the temperature is low, the number of starts will increase, or even fail to start. The phenomenon that the fluorescent lamp cannot be used due to damage to the starter accounts for more than 95% of the fluorescent lamp failures. Even due to the failure of the starter, the inductive ballast is damaged by heat. The ballast in the exported fluorescent lamp bracket must have a temperature control device, which is also one of the reasons to prevent the starter from damaging and causing the ballast to heat up.

Here we introduce a fluorescent lamp starting device without a starter to solve the above-mentioned problem. As shown in the attached figure, a button linked to the power switch is used to replace the starter. When the button cap S1 is pressed, S2 is turned on at the same time. After 2 to 4 seconds, the button is released and S2 is turned off. It is required that switch S1 is still closed to supply power. The ballast generates a high-voltage pulse to light up the fluorescent lamp whose filament has been preheated for 2 to 4 seconds.

Since the on and off of S2 is controlled by people, the preheating time of the fluorescent filament is also controlled, thus ensuring that the fluorescent lamp can be reliably started once under different voltage and temperature environments. This is a soft start with sufficient preheating time for the filament, which greatly increases the service life of the fluorescent lamp. Since the life of S2 is more than 100,000 times, and the manual control has an accuracy rate of 100%, it is a stable, reliable, and maintenance-free fluorescent lamp starting control device. The experimental results show that the fluorescent lamp can be started and lit once at 170V AC voltage and -30℃ temperature. The service life of the lamp tube is 3 times longer than in the past, and the ballast will not heat up. The author has never needed maintenance since using it.