1   Lanterns/Fixtures / Modern / Re: Commercial style post top fixtures being used residentially  on: Today at 12:45:07 AM 
Started by Cole D. - Last post by Richmond2000
caretaker yard lights are common at "proper" lighting supply shops in Canada and is the "barn light" replacement for the ubiquities "NIMA HEAD" styled HID yard blasters that was sold at every hardware store
 2   Lamps / Modern / Re: Running SOX lamps in series  on: Today at 12:42:13 AM 
Started by AgentHalogen_87 - Last post by Richmond2000
I know twin circline FLorescent fixtures came in 22 - 33 watt twin tube but other then that one application every 2 tube one ballast fixtures are designed to run the SAME lamps in both positions
 3   Advertisements / For Sale or Trade / Re: GE Dichros available  on: May 25, 2024, 08:09:12 PM 
Started by Wingnut - Last post by Wingnut
I will have to get shipping quotes. They will be shipped UPS. Will provide quotes early next week
 4   General / General Discussion / Re: Desk lamps make my monitor go black for a second  on: May 25, 2024, 05:39:17 PM 
Started by Mr Lamp - Last post by Laurens
Well, too many words and no concrete recommendations, as usual.
I hate to break it to you, but this is 'real' RF engineering and that's simply not something that you can condense into a 150 character Twitter post or some dumbed down tiktok video.

Thanks again. I will try to understand things you said here  :lol: But here is some more specific information about my devices:

My computer doesn't have an HDMI port, so I use a Mini DP to HDMI adapter. Then, I have a cable with HDMI on one end and then DVI on the monitor.

And the speakers have an external amplifier that seems to be homemade, at least partially. The cord in the right speaker was extended so it can reach the amplifier that is on the left side of my table.

Hope these would help with troubleshooting.
The source of the problem is likely non-existent or failed mains filter caps in your lamps and fridge. They are not supposed to interfere that badly. I have a room full of vintage tech, and most of my fluorescents don't interfere on any of them - except for one AC/DC radio.

You can put snubber networks over the switch contacts of your lamps, and over the compressor relay contacts of your fridge: https://uk.farnell.com/roxburgh/re120033/cap-0-033-f-275vac-20/dp/2336107

If you cannot install them yourself, ask your local repair place or electrician. Usually it takes at most 10 minutes to install one, though it depends on how much space there actually is available.

I chose one by gut feel so no guarantees but here's a bit of info about how to 'properly' select them: https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/resistor-capacitor-rc-snubber-design-for-power-switches edit: disregard, that's about a whole different style of switch.

With regards to the speakers and amp - remove the input cable from the amp. Solved? Plug it back in, but unplug the signal source end. Solved? Likely a ground loop issue. Not solved? Bad shielding, or interference entering via the speaker or mains cable.

Still issues? Remove the long speaker cable. If it gets less, then your interference enters via the long section of unshielded speaker cable. You can suppress interference entering via that pathway by looping the wire through a ferrite core like this one: https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005004130655236.html
I typically use ferrite or iron powder cores scavenged from PC power supplies, it's not really important which one it is. Today it's not a common pathway for interference anymore, but in the CB radio era it happened quite regularly that interference entered via the speaker output.

No influence? Then add a mains filter like the one i posted before to your amplifier. Sometimes you can find them in power strip form for 'audiophile' use. It won't improve sound quality but it can reduce RF interference. But cheaper is to just use a filter module to build into the amp, if there's enough space.

With regards to the HDMI - ferrite clamps around both ends of the cable may work, but don't expect them to do wonders. They function only on the 'top' part of the RF spectrum, leaving the 'bottom' part unaffected. So if the interference is at the bottom, they won't help.
Better shielded cable might work, but again no guarantees, if the problem is the lamps that are unusually high interference.
 5   Lamps / Modern / Re: Running SOX lamps in series  on: May 25, 2024, 05:04:34 PM 
Started by AgentHalogen_87 - Last post by AgentHalogen_87
Thank you for your input. I was not actually thinking about doing it, it was just a theory. I threw together a quick demo of what I was talking about and made the post.
Again just a theory, You're saying it would be easier to run two matching lamps (say both 35W), but again you need a specialist limited power supply?
 6   Lamps / Modern / Re: Running SOX lamps in series  on: May 25, 2024, 04:49:50 PM 
Started by AgentHalogen_87 - Last post by Laurens
Absolutely not. A 90w sox lamp runs on 820mA, while the 35w runs on 510mA and the 55w on 520mA.

It is completely unpredictable what current will actually flow, because the voltage drop of the lamps is heavily dependent on whether they've already warmed up or not. It is unpredictable what will happen if one lamp will vaporise its sodium earlier than the other. Arc lamps are highly unintuitive things, it's not like you're connecting two incandescents in series.

The voltage drop also gets awfully close to mains voltage (assuming 230v) which means that the tubes might only light during the 'topmost' parts of the AC cycle.

If you want to experiment with mismatched tubes in series, try it out with bog standard fluorescents first. They don't completely behave like SOX lamps, but at least you can get some valuable experience dealing with negative resistance lamps that can get into a runaway state.

In theory, it may actually be possible to run them from a current limited ~520mA AC supply, but it will need to be an actual regulated power supply that keeps current (not power!) exactly at 520mA, regardless of the load connected to it.
 7   Lamps / Modern / Running SOX lamps in series  on: May 25, 2024, 04:08:50 PM 
Started by AgentHalogen_87 - Last post by AgentHalogen_87
This is purely a thought, but would it be possible to run SOX lamps in series; where the live from the ballast goes to one lamp, the other end of the lamp connects directly to a second lamp, and the neutral coming off the second lamp, with an ignitor bridging both of them. Would it be possible? Let's say using a 35 and a 55W lamp for a total of 90 watts. Would a standard 90W SOX ballast work, or would it need to e more powerful because of two arcs instead of one?

Just asking out of interest :wndr:
 8   General / Off-Topic / Re: "Time Is Ticking..."  on: May 25, 2024, 01:30:21 PM 
Started by suzukir122 - Last post by suzukir122
Yep, I'm breaking a leg. I'm getting to it... but the parts that I ordered have to arrive. One of them already arrived today. (Media mod)
Now I'm waiting on the other two things.
Might as well take a video and post it, @RJluna2! Time is ticking! I've spent sooooo many years saying that I'm gonna start making YouTube videos,
and never did... missing opportunity after opportunity with each day that has passed. I can't do that anymore.
Next paycheck, I will start to focus on the much bigger, higher quality camera and audio.
 9   General / General Discussion / Re: What did you do today lighting wise?  on: May 25, 2024, 01:21:16 PM 
Started by RyanF40T12 - Last post by suzukir122
Just bought another Dulux 36w lamp for my Sadelite desk lamp, to replace one of the Philips PL-L lamps that recently went EOL.
This Dulux, unlike the other one that I recently purchased, was made in Italy... so it doesn't say "Econologic" on it. I want to compare
that Italy made Dulux to the Korean made version... so that is something I'll be doing as soon as that Italy made Dulux arrives.
One thing I will say though is that the Korean version definitely does not handle cold very well... same goes for the 18w tubes.
 10   General / Off-Topic / Re: "Time Is Ticking..."  on: May 25, 2024, 01:14:11 PM 
Started by suzukir122 - Last post by rjluna2
Break a leg, suzukir122 :)

I, too, have considered joining to YouTube posting some of my made-up sign language I have in my own imagination near in the future.
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