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Electronics Forum / Repair / July 2008Compact Fluorescent Lamp - switch on current ?
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 ? -- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/ >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 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >What is the switch on current of CFLs compared to conventional just out of >interest ? Only proerly designed "power reed" contacts are suitable, a the normal reeds are not any good for currents at amp levels. Having said that, most CFL's have a limiting resistor input, so the input will not be more than a few amps. Peter >> 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 [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Peter Stick to the 15W filament, your chinese made CFL will only last 8 months before it overheats, blows your relay and dies, costing you 10 times the filament lamp. Surge current on a 22w CFL is 1.5A >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 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >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." - Franc Zabkar  SignaturePlease remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email. >>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 [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >"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 > >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 [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > -- > Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email. Whatever technical stuff you ever wanted to know about CFLs on there -- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/ |
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