Compact Fluorescent Lamp - switch on current ? - sci.electronics.repair

Message from discussion Compact Fluorescent Lamp - switch on current ?

GregS

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More options Jul 25, 5:47 pm

Newsgroups: sci.electronics.repair

From: zekfr...@zekfrivolous.com (GregS)

Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:47:48 GMT

Local: Fri, Jul 25 2008 5:47 pm

Subject: Re: Compact Fluorescent Lamp - switch on current ?

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In article <130i8413aesdbmk63l3tckhu7at7re4...@4ax.com>, fzab...@iinternode.on.net wrote:
>On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:23:51 +0100, "N_Cook" <dive...@tcp.co.uk> put
>finger to keyboard and composed:

>>15W filament lamp controlled by a tiny reed relay, on for a total of a
>>couple of hours a day. Been in use for 20 years or so. Decided to replace
>>the working 15 filament one with a 11W CFL but on first switch on, the
>>contacts ,presumably only 0.5A rating or so, held on at switch off.

>>A slight tap releases them but of course no good with continued CFL use
>>unless uprating the relay. Previously stuck contacts occured 10 years or so
>>back when the first 15W bulb blew, plasma arc current at failing switch-on
>>presumably.

>>What is the switch on current of CFLs compared to conventional just out of
>>interest ?

>Here are several reverse engineered CFL circuits:
> http://www.pavouk.org/hw/lamp/en_index.html

>The author writes ...

>"During start is peak collector current about 3 to 5 times bigger than
>during normal operation."

I was turning a lamp off then on above the sink which normally runs 24-7.
There was a really big arc, but I don't remember if it was while
turning off or on. I have 6 outside CFL's on one switch. Never heard any
arc on that.

I understand that they can draw a lot more current near the end of their
life.

greg

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