How does a fluorescent starter work? (2024)

FAQs

How does a fluorescent starter work? ›

Simply put, fluorescent starters are a timed switch. The switch opens and closes until the fluorescent tube 'strikes' and lights-up. If the fluorescent tube does not light, the switch repeats it's open/close cycle and the fluorescent tubes attempts to ignite again.

A starter is a small part that helps to ignite the fluorescent parts that bring light to your fluorescent tube. The starter is implanted together with a conventional ballast as part of a fixture in which your fluorescent tube is placed. You don't need a starter when the tube works with an electronic ballast.

An LED Starter is simply a straight through electrical connector with a safety fuse. It completes the circuit for an LED tube when installed in an old fluorescent tube light fitting. You cannot use an LED starter with an old fluorescent tube. Easy installation for any fitting with a starter.

Some modern fluorescent lights do work without a starter because they come pre-equipped with a ballast that has extra windings. It constantly supplies a small amount of voltage to give heat to the filaments.

The ballast initially works as a starter for the arc by its internal ignitor, supplying a high-voltage impulse and, later, it works as a limiter/regulator of the electric flow inside the circuit.

Without choke maximum current flows in the fluorescent lamp, and with choke (which is a inductor )stored the current in the form of charge and reduces the value of maximum current and helps on starting, without choke , the lamps may get fused or never starts.

The role of the starting capacitor is to lag the current in the auxiliary winding, bringing these two currents out of phase.

Once the fluorescent tube strikes, the starter switch does not close again because the voltage across the lit fluorescent tube is insufficient to re-start the heating up process of the electrodes in the fluorescent starter.

Lights but no action

Another sign for detecting a faulty starter could be the dashboard lights. If you see the lights come out of the instrument panel while going through the ignition phase, but the engine is not cranking up, it may also symbolize that the starter system is damaged.

Is a fluorescent starter a capacitor? ›

Elements of a fluorescent starter

It is a very simple electrical device. In fact, in most cases it consists of two components: the gas-filled glass capsule and a capacitor, connected in parallel.

All fluorescent bulbs require a ballast. All compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs require a ballast, which is often integrated. All HID bulbs require a ballast, which is sometimes integrated. No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast.

Hybrid linear LED lamps are able to work both as a plug and play – with the existing ballast – and, once the ballast peters out, you can remove it and have the lamp run off of line voltage.

The most common signal that your starter has a problem is if nothing happens when you turn the key or push to start. Unusual noises, such as clinking, grinding and whirring. If you ignore these sounds, it can eventually lead to damage to the engine flywheel.

Most often, starters fail from wear and tear — naturally or induced by operator (or installer) error. Inside the starter is an armature, and the magnetic “brushes” that ride around it can wear out over time.

A fluorescent starter is a simple timed switch that allows the flow of current in the filaments of fluorescent light. The current heats up the contact of the starter, turning its switch on and off until the fluorescent tube lights up.

How It Works. Rubbing the glass tube generates static electricity. Although there is less static electricity than the amount of electricity supplied by wall current, it is enough to energize the atoms inside the tube, changing them from a ground state to an excited state.

Without a ballast, a lamp or a bulb will rapidly increase its current draw and it can become uncontrollable as well. When a ballast is present in a lamp, the power becomes stable, and even if such lamps are connected to high power sources, the ballast will regulate the energy and avoid the current rise.

Safety risk The most significant negative to a ballast-bypass linear LED is the risk of electric shock since the sockets carry line voltage. It's a common practice to place a finger on the lamp pins while you are trying to install it, and this becomes a risky endeavor when using single-ended ballast-bypass lamps .

Fluorescent lamps use a ballast which transforms line voltage to a voltage to start up and operate the lamp(s). Newer fluorescent ballasts are usually rated for both 120 volts and 277 volts. Some are rated for only 120 volts, others for only 277 volts (used in commercial environments).

Why does my fluorescent light take a long time to come on? ›

Some older lights may contain a module called a starter. This unit sends a surge of current to the tube when the light first turns on. Over time, the starter can wear down and ultimately take longer to do its job. Lights that take a long time to come on or flicker on and off without starting are common symptoms.

The capacitors in fluorescent light are as Resqueline says primarily to correct the power factor. These are connected across the supply. They also help on switch off, reducing the arc in the switch due to the inductance.

The choke is connected in series with the tube filament or resistance which provides a voltage impulse for starting the lamp, i.e. it drops the voltage and smoothens the current. Secondly, it is responsible for limiting the current flow across the lamp during its normal operation.

1) Run capacitors are rated in a range of 3–70 microfarad (uF). Run capacitors are also rated by voltage classification. The voltage classifications are 370V and 440V. Capacitors with ratings above 70 microfarad (uF) are starting capacitors.

Capacitors are labeled with what microfarad value (abbreviated mfd or uf) that they should be. If your electrical meter displays a microfarad value that is too high or too low, this is a sign that your capacitor is bad.

If a run capacitor fails, the motor will still run but can experience spikes in voltage. It can overheat, which will cause parts or the motor itself to break down prematurely. Damage to run capacitors can occur from a variety of things as well.

A fluorescent tube does not generate heat because it does not work on the principle of heating effect of electric current. Also, they do not have filaments which act as heating elements. So, they do not waste electricity by producing heat.

Fluorescent starter: Fluorescent starters are a timed switch and it provides ignition voltage to the fluorescent lamp. The ignition voltage is as high as 1000 V to initiate a discharge in the argon gas lying between electrodes.

Causes of Ballast Failure

Heat and moisture are enemies #1 and #2 to your ballast. Every ballast has an ambient operating temperature range and UL location rating. When it's too hot or too cold, the ballast can burn or fail to start your lamps at all.

If your interior lights or the lights on your dashboard dim when you try to start your vehicle, a common cause is a short circuit somewhere in the internal wiring. When this short happens, your starter motor tries to draw extra power. In turn, this drains the other systems like your lights.

Can a starter work intermittently? ›

If the starter engages but does not disengage when you let go of the key, the solenoid is likely bad and the starter may suffer significant damage as a result. Sometimes your car starts, sometimes it doesn't. Intermittent operation can be a sign of a failing starter solenoid.

Issues with the Ballast

Without a properly operating ballast to limit the light's current, a fluorescent lamp connected to the electrical source would quickly and uncontrollably increase its current flow—causing the lamp to burning out. This is why a degrading ballast will cause the fluorescent lights to flicker.

No high-intensity discharge (HID) or fluorescent lamp is complete without the right ignitor, capacitor, or starter. These types of lights need ballasts to stay on, but they also need a little help to get started or to improve power.

You have fluorescent troffers or strip fixtures already, and you're wondering if you can just pop LED tubes in them or if you'll need to change out the fixtures for something designed for LED. Good news: You can absolutely use LED tubes in your existing fixtures!

The plug and play LED lights looks and are used like any ordinary fluorescent tube. Replacing a fluorescent tube with plug and play LED Tube lights is easy as they can be used without a ballast. It does not need any additional modification and is simple to install, like any incandescent or LED tube lights.

T5 & T8 fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes are to be phased out. In 2023, T5 and T8 fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes (CFL) will be phased out in accordance with the European Commission's ecodesign and RoHS directives.

The main difference between T8 and T12 tubes is the tube's diameter. T12 tubes are 1.5" in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won't fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they'll fit just fine.

Direct-fit LED tubes are the easiest type of tube to install. This type of installation can also be referred to as “Plug-and-Play”. These LED tubes are a direct replacement for fluorescent tubes and work with the existing fixture, wiring, and most ballasts.

Without the Starter the Fluorescent Lamp will not start, or even it started by chance, it will flicker or fail to provide a continuous flow of light. Without a Ballast also the light won't start as it provides the higher voltage to the light to start.

Can a fluorescent light work without a ballast? ›

All fluorescent bulbs require a ballast. All compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs require a ballast, which is often integrated. All HID bulbs require a ballast, which is sometimes integrated. No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast.

A dead fluorescent can be caused by lack of electrical power (tripped breaker or blown fuse), a dead or dying ballast, a dead starter or a dead bulb(s). Check for power first... then the starter (if applicable) and then the bulbs. When all else fails, the ballast should be replaced.

The average life expectancy of a fluorescent light ballast is 10-15 years. Any ballast beyond that age should be considered to be at a heightened risk of failure.

According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use. The optimum economic life of a fluorescent lighting system with magnetic ballasts is usually about 15 years.

Ballast failure is often caused by the surrounding environment—mainly heat and moisture. When it's too hot or too cold, a ballast can burn or fail to start your lamps. Heat, along with continuous condensation inside an electronic ballast, can cause corrosion over time.

The type of starter we need will depend on the power of the tube. Although the nomenclature may vary according to the manufacturer, the main types of starters for fluorescent tubes are: Starter S2 or FS-22: used in tubes between 4W and 22W. Starter S1 or FS-11: for tubes between 4W and 65W.

Loose contacts are definitely another possibility when it comes to why your fluorescent light only comes on when you touch it. You may have an old fixture, or the connections may just be loose from age or wear and tear.

If your fluorescent lighting starts to act like HID when you turn it on, and it's slow to reach full brightness (what lighting experts call illuminance), your ballast is most likely the culprit.

For energy savings, reliability, and longevity – replace ballasts – not bulbs. In addition to energy efficiency issues, older ballasts simply do not offer the reflection geometry newer options do.