[SML] FS-2 Florescent Starters

[James Alderson]

Matt asked:

> All,
> 
>      For those of you who've done the FS-2 florescent starter fire light
> effect, have you ever had the starters "wear out" so to speak, and stop
> flickering, but still compete the circuit?
> 
> Thanks

Yes, they do wear out eventually. There isn’t much inside them but a neon lamp and a bi-metal switch. Either part can eventually fail, but replacements are cheap. 

The starters are designed to flicker a coupe of times until a 15 w. florescent lamp ignites, then stop. We are really abusing them when using them with an incandescent lamp, so they eventually give up.

Mick Alderson
TD, Fredric March Theatre
Univ. of Wis. Oshkosh