What if any European /UK starters can be used on US equipment giving the difference in voltage ??

What if any European /UK starters can be used on US equipment giving the difference in voltage ??

Generally I think they are labeled in he same wattage ranges as in US, but I think only 100V trigger and 200V trigger families are available...
Depend for what lamp and/or ballast.
For series choke ballast (Any OCV, arc voltage <65V; T5 till 8W, T8 and T12 10..20W, FC6T9, FC8T9,...) the "4..25W", "230V series / 120V single" or just "series" types (Philips S2,...)
For autotransformer ballasts (OCV>200V, arc voltage <130V; T5 of 13W, >30W T8/T12, FC12T9,...) the "any..65W and above", "230V single" or just "single" types (Philips S10,...)

Hope it help at least somehow...

The voltage is set by the two bi-metals. For S2 which works on single tube for 110v has one side bent and those for 230v are both the same. If you used a 230v one in a 110v fitting it will take forever to close so the only way to be universal in voltage is to have a triac switch circuit to operate the same regardless of voltage. The gate voltage would have to have a wide range that will still trigger it.

So, in theory, on a North American 120V mains circuit with a F15T8 lamp, inductor and starter, I could use a FS-4 starter with a trigger voltage of >200 V and the contacts would eventually close, but might take several minutes. FS-4 starters would be equivalent to European S-10 starter for 230 V single operation. Normally, the circuit described above would require a FS-2 starter which would be equivalent to European S-2, which would be used for 230 V series or 120 V single circuits. I will try it out when time permits.

There are lots of 240V single lamp 4-65 / 4-80W starters where only 1 side is bimetal. They exist with all kinds of gas fillings (i have seen starters like that which glow in all known colors). So 240V starter does not necessarily have 2 bimetals

The only difference would be if you run it on DC (which you dont) then you'd have to install it in 1 specific direction

What i did notice in ST151 (Osram equivalent of S2) which is not in ST111 (equivalent of S10) there is some kinda pellet attached to the electrode that is not bimetal. I guess its either some type of emitter or a thermal capacity thing to hold the bimetal colsed for a while untill the other starter closes too, but its just a guess

To answer my own question, it does not work. I left it with power on for about 45 minutes and it did not strike.

@ Sol - If I understand correctly you used a 120v starter on a 230v circuit? Or is it the other way around. I tried a Japanese starter before rated at 100v and it worked well when used as a S2 with a Philips S2 to light two 4w tubes.

imj : No, it is the other way around. I tried a >200V starter on a 120 V circuit. I left it on for about 45 minutes, and nothing happened. The starter was slightly warm, though, but not enough to strike.

If I understand correctly, most starters are good for 230V mains circuits. However, with 120V mains, FS-4 starters (>200V) are required for autotransformer ballasts, and FS-2 or FS-5 (depending on wattage) for simple inductor circuits.

Using an FS-4 starter in a 120V inductor circuit will give the results presented above, and using FS-2 starters with autotransformer ballasts results in the starter not shutting off, and giving behaviour similar to eol lamps that flash. Tubes that require autotransformer ballasts typically have a ~100 V arc voltage, and with the starter in parallel with the tube and that voltage across it is too high to prevent the starter from igniting. It repeatedly tries to re-strike a tube that is already struck. FS-4 starters, on the other hand, have an ignition voltage of >200 V and don't strike in parallel with a ~100V arc tube.

Hope this helps.

Yeah it would take forever to close for a glow bottle type starter but have you tried connecting a 400v cap in series with the starter it may work because of the inductor in series with the cap to boost the voltage to 230v.

But then you have impedance X = X(ballast)-X(capacitor) at startup, so depending on capacitor and ballast size you can get very low impedance at line frequency and blow stuff

Yeah it would take forever to close for a glow bottle type starter but have you tried connecting a 400v cap in series with the starter it may work because of the inductor in series with the cap to boost the voltage to 230v.

This won't help to trigger the glowbottle starter, as you have to first allow the current to flow in order to get the elevated voltage.


And for the starter internal design:
I think it is matter of manufacturer's preference, if only one electrode or both are bi-metal, it is usually based on the total cost (both options work well): The bi-metal material is more costly (instead of single foil you have to weld two different on top of each other first), while if both are bi-metal's, the machine have to deal with only single type of component (and load it on both sides), so the operation and logistic costs are lower.

The 100/200V difference is mainly in the gas fill pressure and composition and with glow discharge at short distances does not depend as much on the actual electrode distance (there is no room for anode column anyway)...


@Ash: This happen, when the LC is close to it's resonance. But due to higher current the ballast would saturate, it's inductance drop, detune the LC, so it's overall impedance rise and so limit the current. In real life in such configuration is able to maintain the current in wide range of mains voltage, US CWA/CWI ballasts are based on this mechanism (the saturating inductance is there formed by the saturable magnetic shunt between primary and secondary)

You can try to use a S2 starter (in series with resistance) to start the other starter ^_^