fluorescent lights

andy · 20 Dec 2004

can a 230V fluorescent light be converted to take 110V?

breezer · 20 Dec 2004

dont see why not

Paul_C · 20 Dec 2004

You'd need to obtain a suitable replacement ballast.

securespark · 21 Dec 2004

Sure the rest of it could stand up to lower voltage/increased current?

plugwash · 21 Dec 2004

afaict replacing the ballast basically means replacing all the functional parts of the fitting

to be honest its probbablly easier and possiblly cheaper to try and get a fitting already fitted with the right parts

alertelec · 21 Dec 2004

You can buy Fitzgerald standard fluorescents at 110v. Just ask your electrical wholesaler for whatever fitting you would like with the 110v surcharge added, costs about an extra £5.00 from memory.

andy · 21 Dec 2004

basically i wanted a twin tube, 2or 4FT fluoresent to use on site. and pref have the option of 230 or 110V (if i cant have both then 110V)

mapj1 · 21 Dec 2004

How about two 110V singles, bolted together, and either in series or parallel for 230/115 operation - all you need is some non-standard connector on the fittings, and two magic "Y" leads, one with blue plug, one with yellow.
M.

andy · 21 Dec 2004

mapj1 said:
How about two 110V singles, bolted together, and either in series or parallel for 230/115 operation - all you need is some non-standard connector on the fittings, and two magic "Y" leads, one with blue plug, one with yellow.
M.

good idea. will probabily do that

plugwash · 22 Dec 2004

not sure how flouresents would respond to series wiring

i get the feeling that modern ones may contain some form of smpsu

Stoday · 22 Dec 2004

The starter will have to be suitable for 120 V.

(If it's got a sm psu it won't have a starter.)

mapj1 · 22 Dec 2004

Cheap 110V (starter type, and those with rapid-start filament windings) fluorescent fittings have a ballast that is almost the same as a 240V conventional rapid-start, but with an auto-transformer type over winding to reach the striking voltage (and maybe two low voltage windings for the filament). I'd expect no problems running in series, except that with one bulb out, the other will not light. A US lamp innards]
M.

plugwash · 22 Dec 2004

in fact thinking about it im pretty sure a lot of short dual bulb units are series wired anyway

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fluorescent lights

breezer

Paul_C

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