High-Frequency Starting of Fluorescent Lamps

Lamp and ballast manufacturers have shown increasing interest in having a high-frequency testing procedure to determine the peak and rms starting voltages for fluorescent lamps. This, paper discusses a starting voltage procedure and typical test results for a single-lamp circuit. These peak/rms relationships are shown as a function of frequency, cathode voltage, and ambient temperature for three types of F40 lamps (the standard F40, the F40 35-watt and the F40 35-watt without a conductive coating).