Fluorescent lamp starter in operation
#electricalengineering #electronics #electrician
A bimetallic strip closes a circuit, turning the light switch on has heated up the bimetallic strip, and makes it bend away from the contact, breaking the circuit, causing it to cool down (being disconnected from power), and then making the circuit again, repeatedly closing and opening the circuit.
In series with this device is a ballast that serves two purposes, 1 : to act as an inductive reactor, to limit sustained current to the fluorescent tube, and 2 : to generate high voltage back EMF upon opening the circuit in the starter, the high voltage spoke is sent through the fluorescent tube (that’s filled with a vacuum, and a small percent of noble gases) and ionises the gasses in their, and if successful, the tube will have been started, and the ballast will be turned into a reactor and the tube would be disconnected from the system until the next time it’s switched on again.