Stained Glass Starter Grinder Kit

Why some fluorescent tubes do not require a starter

Modern fluorescent fixtures equipped with electronic ballasts do not use a separate starter. These newer designs, found in many T8, T5, and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), have integrated circuits that handle the starting and running of the lamp, eliminating the need for a. In traditional fluorescent lighting systems that use magnetic ballasts, a starter is necessary to provide the high-voltage pulse required to ionize the gas inside the tube. Without a starter, the light will not turn on. Electronic ballasts are far more efficient and do not have starters, but wire wound ballasts are around 60 to 80 lumen per watt and very voltage dependent. The switch opens and closes until the fluorescent tube 'strikes' and lights-up. The starter is a small cylindrical device that helps the lamp light up by providing a brief surge of electricity to ionize the gas inside the tube.