Has anyone come across the Fastlux 300C starter?
It's that every fast instant start electronic starter unlike the usual slow start electronic ones.
It's supposed to work by heating the cathodes very fast and then providing a starting pulse at the right moment on the sine wave.
The issue is this:
1) How can the starter provide a higher starting current than the ballast's impedance will allow?
2) If the cathodes aren't heated at the time the pulse is produced is this not effectively cold starting the tube?
The strange thing is it does seem that there is a higher than normal current at startup as the ballast hum, although only a fraction of a second, is quite loud.
This is unlike the usual electronic starter where it gently heats the cathodes and then provides the pulse.
If that is the case, this leads to a further issue:
3) Is the current that causes the hum so high that it's reducing the life of the ballast?
Due to the hum it is hard to tell if it is just cold starting. You can't see the cathodes heat because it starts within 0.3 secs. (according to the bumph).
Any thoughts anyone?
It's that every fast instant start electronic starter unlike the usual slow start electronic ones.
It's supposed to work by heating the cathodes very fast and then providing a starting pulse at the right moment on the sine wave.
The issue is this:
1) How can the starter provide a higher starting current than the ballast's impedance will allow?
2) If the cathodes aren't heated at the time the pulse is produced is this not effectively cold starting the tube?
The strange thing is it does seem that there is a higher than normal current at startup as the ballast hum, although only a fraction of a second, is quite loud.
This is unlike the usual electronic starter where it gently heats the cathodes and then provides the pulse.
If that is the case, this leads to a further issue:
3) Is the current that causes the hum so high that it's reducing the life of the ballast?
Due to the hum it is hard to tell if it is just cold starting. You can't see the cathodes heat because it starts within 0.3 secs. (according to the bumph).
Any thoughts anyone?
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