Starter for low pressure flourescent lamp - uses voltage drop between auxiliary electrodes to operate preheating switch

摘要

The starter, for low pressure fluorescent lamps, has a switch connected in series with the lamp and allowing a preheating current to flow through the lamp when closed. The voltage drop between the initial and final points of a switching path is used to operate the switch. The path includes at least one other electrode apart from or in place of the fluorescent lamp electrode. It can consist exclusively of auxiliary electrodes, with similar thermal behaviour to the main electrodes.