Flourescent Light Starter Question

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26 Mar 2008
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Hampshire
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United Kingdom
Hey folks,

What are the implications of putting a higher rated starter, e.g. 70 -100W into a fluorescent light system where the current bulb is rated to 65W?

I picked up the wrong starter and I want to know if I can use that one or else wait till tomorrow before getting the right one to match up with the bulb.

Thanks in advance.
 
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If you try the starter it won't do any long term damage.

PS...you plant bulbs and put lamps and tubes in luminaires ;)
 
From my experience it shouldn't be a problem.

Many years ago I put a 70-125 watt rated starter in the 4ft 36 watt kitchen light at my parent's house as it was taking too long to light with the correct rated one - still works to this day.
 
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There are two types of starter: the new electronic ones and the older gas discharge ones. The electronic ones generally cover a wide power range so yours is probably a discharge type. These consist of a small gas discharge lamp with a bimetal switch inside and they work like this:

1) You switch on; the tube is cold. Current flows through the ballast inductor, one tube filament, the starter lamp and the other filament.

2) The tube filaments heat up but this in itself is not enough to get the thing going. The bimetal switch in the starter is also heating up.

3) The bimetal switch opens, breaking the circuit. The ballast, being inductive, responds by generating a high voltage spike. It's this which causes the tube to strike. Meanwhile, the lamp in the starter has gone out.

4) The bimetal switch in the starter cools down and closes but, with the main tube conducting, there isn't enough voltage across the starter to re-ignite it.

From this, you can see what can happen if you put an UNDERSIZED starter in. If the running voltage of the tube is high enough to re-ignite the starter, the thing will try to restart the tube over and over again. This also happens as tubes age because their running voltage goes up.

It is less obvious what might happen with your oversized starter. If it's significantly oversized it might overload the tube filaments. :( :( :( Since yours is a borderline case it will probably work but why risk it. Starters are cheap. :) :) :)
 
Thanks for the responses guys. Much appreciated.

It is less obvious what might happen with your oversized starter. If it's significantly oversized it might overload the tube filaments. :( :( :( Since yours is a borderline case it will probably work but why risk it. Starters are cheap. :) :) :)

My sentiments exactly. Thanks for the informative post.
 

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