[Elecraft] CCFL and Ballast

[Ian White GM3SEK]

Jack Smith wrote:
>A few months ago, I looked at the power consumption and  radiated 
>interference from a typical inexpensive CCFL. Also disassembled the 
>lamp to look at the ballast PCB.
>
>Details are at http://www.cliftonlaboratories.com/compact_fl.htm
>
>Jack K8ZOA
>www.cliftonlaboratories.com

There is an excellent page of CCFL schematics and photographs at:
http://www.pavouk.org/hw/lamp/en_index.html

Many of these will be sold in the West under a range of different brand 
names. Also, the same catalog listing may not always be the same 
product.

There are obvious differences in filtering of the supply line - some 
don't even have it, and EMC compliance markings are frankly worthless. 
Another important difference is the quality of light and the warmup time 
to full brightness.

For all of these reasons, it pays to try samples of several different 
types before making a bulk buy for the whole house. Hams should probably 
dismantle them to check for filtering components (with obvious safety 
precautions - the glass is very fragile).



-- 

73 from Ian GM3SEK         'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek