Programmed start CFLs « on: July 23, 2022, 05:38:26 PM » Author: HIDLad001
How come most CFLs are instant start, and only a few are rapid / programmed start? I know that IKEA / Megaman’s CFLs were programmed start. Do you know of any other brands that made CFLs that weren’t instant start?
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	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #1 on: July 24, 2022, 03:38:54 AM » Author: AngryHorse
Most use to be once, it was cost cutting!, but I’ve had early Philips, GE and Osrams that were programmed pre-heat. I’ve still got some 22 watt Homebase CFL (made by GE), that pre-heat on start.
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	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #2 on: July 24, 2022, 04:10:04 AM » Author: dor123
Very few CFLs uses real programmed start ballasts because it is horribly expensive. Most of them simply use PTC to disable instant start and allow the cathodes to be preheated, but they do this only once. At a hot restrike, they instant restrikes. The CFLs that I know using a real programmed start ballast, are Megamen CFLs with their ingenium ballast, Osram Facility and Osram Vario. The rest either uses PTC controlled preheating or instant starting.
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	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #3 on: July 24, 2022, 08:42:34 AM » Author: HIDLad001
Quote from: AngryHorse on July 24, 2022, 03:38:54 AM Most use to be once, it was cost cutting! I hate that! Those things promised to outlive their incandescent counterparts, but many had premature failures because of their crappy electronic components. And the cathodes being worn out very quickly from being blasted with high voltage every time they were turned on.
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If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it
HID Fixtures should stay HID, but I think LED is fine too.
Any new photos are taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35!
Local power is 120/240VAC 60Hz, TV is NTSC 480i 59.94, DTV is ATSC 1.0 and simulcast ATSC 3.0.
-Using Lighting-Gallery since 2022-

	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #4 on: July 24, 2022, 09:08:16 AM » Author: dor123
I've a generic AQ Light daylight halophosphors CFL in my room at my father home, surviving 11 years on base-down use, despite it is instant start.
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I"m don't speak English well, and rely on online translating to write in this site.
Please forgive me if my choice of my words looks like offensive, while that isn't my intention.

I only working with the international date format (dd.mm.yyyy).

I lives in Israel, which is a 220-240V, 50hz country.

	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #5 on: July 25, 2022, 02:15:33 AM » Author: Medved
There was one big problem: If the ballast is equipped with any preheat mechanism (be it the frequency controlled programmed start or just the PTC), it causes the lamp to turn On with a delay. And that was seen by majority of the customers as a sign of "inferior quality". This was even "backed" by many "tech journalists" in many magazines. Together with these being more expensive, the consequence was obvious: They sold very poorly. Having longer life? The life ratings were just ignored by most consumers, or treated as a scam. The thing is, many people used incandescents rated for higher voltage than was in their system. Therefore they last way longer than their rating. They also emitted way less light for the wattage, but that was something that never bothered most people (although it yielded the biggest extra expense - using a 100W lamp instead of the properly rated 60W, so paying for 8kWh extra instead of an extra lamp), but the CFL's lasted about what they were rated for.
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	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #6 on: July 26, 2022, 11:42:44 AM » Author: AngryHorse
I’ve got an interesting Philips 8 watt Genie in one of my outside lights, it’s instant start but has a manufacturing defect on it, when it switches on at night, it comes on a dull pink colour, (as if it’s mercury starved), but then flashes like it’s on a switch start circuit! until it fires into life!, (this start up takes about 15 seconds)  But once it’s on it runs perfectly all night without so much as a flicker!, it a new lamp too, not a used one!
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Current: UK 230V, 50Hz
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	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #7 on: July 27, 2022, 08:26:42 AM » Author: HIDLad001
Quote from: AngryHorse on July 26, 2022, 11:42:44 AM I’ve got an interesting Philips 8 watt Genie in one of my outside lights, it’s instant start but has a manufacturing defect on it, when it switches on at night, it comes on a dull pink colour, (as if it’s mercury starved), but then flashes like it’s on a switch start circuit! until it fires into life!, (this start up takes about 15 seconds)  But once it’s on it runs perfectly all night without so much as a flicker!, it a new lamp too, not a used one!  Video?
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If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it
HID Fixtures should stay HID, but I think LED is fine too.
Any new photos are taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35!
Local power is 120/240VAC 60Hz, TV is NTSC 480i 59.94, DTV is ATSC 1.0 and simulcast ATSC 3.0.
-Using Lighting-Gallery since 2022-

	Re: Programmed start CFLs « Reply #8 on: July 27, 2022, 02:05:20 PM » Author: AngryHorse
I would have done, but I’m not on any sort of video sharing site
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Current: UK 230V, 50Hz
Power provider: e.on energy
Street lighting in our town: Philips UniStreet LED (gen 1)
Longest serving LED in service at home, (hour count): Energetic mini clear globe: 54,050 hrs @ 10/2/24

Welcome to OBLIVION