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Availability of Japanese fluorescent lamps in America

M

Major Debacle

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi,

I need an FSL-520-D Japanese style fluorescent lamp. It is unlike an
American style lamp in that it only has one electrode at each end. An
American style lamp flickers and overheats when plugged into this
Japanese style fixture. Does anyone know where I might be able to
procure these FSL-520-D Japanese style fluorescent lamps?

The AC voltage across this Japanese fluorescent fixture when plugged
into a 110-120 American socket is about 600 volts measured with a
standard American multimeter. Just for my own edification, does anyone
know how this kind of fixture differs in its operation from an American
style fluorescent fixture?
 
J

James Sweet

Jan 1, 1970
0
Major said:
Hi,

I need an FSL-520-D Japanese style fluorescent lamp. It is unlike an
American style lamp in that it only has one electrode at each end. An
American style lamp flickers and overheats when plugged into this
Japanese style fixture. Does anyone know where I might be able to
procure these FSL-520-D Japanese style fluorescent lamps?

The AC voltage across this Japanese fluorescent fixture when plugged
into a 110-120 American socket is about 600 volts measured with a
standard American multimeter. Just for my own edification, does anyone
know how this kind of fixture differs in its operation from an American
style fluorescent fixture?


Do you have a picture of the lamp? If it has 600V then it uses an
electronic ballast. The -D suffix just indicates Daylight (6500K) color
temperature phosphor. Shouldn't be too hard to find something that'll work.
 
J

Jerry G.

Jan 1, 1970
0
If you like the lamp very much, what you can do is buy a new lamp, new
sockets, and a new ballast. You take the lamp apart and re-work in the
new parts.

If you do not feel qualified to customize the lamp, there are
appliance service shops that can do this type of work. The labour
would be a bit expensive, but worth it for a good lamp that you like.

Jerry G.
 
M

Major Debacle

Jan 1, 1970
0
James said:
Do you have a picture of the lamp? If it has 600V then it uses an
electronic ballast. The -D suffix just indicates Daylight (6500K) color
temperature phosphor. Shouldn't be too hard to find something that'll work.

Perhaps I should have used the word "bulb" instead of "lamp", for it is
the fluorescent bulb which has burned out and needs replacing. The
fixture is in good shape. This omission on my part may or may not have
caused confusion. The fixture itself is built into a cabinet and the
electrical guts are inside a cavity. The back of the cabinet would have
to be removed to get to them.

The fluorescent bulb which has burned out looks like any American style
bulb except that it has just one nubby electrode at each end instead of
two pins. A standard 21 inch, American style, two pin fluorescent bulb
will fit in this fixture, but it flickers and gets extremely hot at the
ends. I've called a couple of light bulb suppliers in the area and
neither was able to help. I have an email in to Technico Marine,
http://www.technicomarine.com/ and I'm waiting for a reply. If you have
any suggestions on where else to go for this bulb, please post.

Thanks...
 
G

Geoffrey S. Mendelson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Major said:
I need an FSL-520-D Japanese style fluorescent lamp. It is unlike an
American style lamp in that it only has one electrode at each end. An
American style lamp flickers and overheats when plugged into this
Japanese style fixture. Does anyone know where I might be able to
procure these FSL-520-D Japanese style fluorescent lamps?

The AC voltage across this Japanese fluorescent fixture when plugged
into a 110-120 American socket is about 600 volts measured with a
standard American multimeter. Just for my own edification, does anyone
know how this kind of fixture differs in its operation from an American
style fluorescent fixture?

It's called an "Instant Start" bulb.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp

Page down to the starting section or search the page for "instant start".

Here's an example of one, found with a quick web search:

http://www.kwhlighting.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD
&Store_Code=kwh&Product_Code=SYL-22403

(sorry for the split link).

You could call them and ask.

Or just take the bulb to any lighting supply company and ask for
an "instant start bulb" that fits.

Geoff.
 
J

James Sweet

Jan 1, 1970
0
Perhaps I should have used the word "bulb" instead of "lamp", for it is
the fluorescent bulb which has burned out and needs replacing. The
fixture is in good shape. This omission on my part may or may not have
caused confusion. The fixture itself is built into a cabinet and the
electrical guts are inside a cavity. The back of the cabinet would have
to be removed to get to them.

The fluorescent bulb which has burned out looks like any American style
bulb except that it has just one nubby electrode at each end instead of
two pins. A standard 21 inch, American style, two pin fluorescent bulb
will fit in this fixture, but it flickers and gets extremely hot at the
ends. I've called a couple of light bulb suppliers in the area and
neither was able to help. I have an email in to Technico Marine,
http://www.technicomarine.com/ and I'm waiting for a reply. If you have
any suggestions on where else to go for this bulb, please post.

Thanks...


No, "Lamp" is a correct term for a fluorescent "bulb", it's not really a
bulb afterall, but a tube.

That sounds like a slimline, I know I've seen fairly short slimline
lamps (tubes) at McLendon hardware near me, I can look next time I go
there. What is the diameter? I believe I've seen both T8 and T6.

This is the wrong length, but otherwise the sort I'm thinking
http://www.lbutampa.com/Lighting-Products/Product/Satco/Light_Bulbs/S6471/
 
M

Major Debacle

Jan 1, 1970
0
Geoffrey said:
It's called an "Instant Start" bulb.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp

Page down to the starting section or search the page for "instant start".

Here's an example of one, found with a quick web search:

http://www.kwhlighting.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD
&Store_Code=kwh&Product_Code=SYL-22403

(sorry for the split link).

You could call them and ask.

Or just take the bulb to any lighting supply company and ask for
an "instant start bulb" that fits.

Geoff.


Thanks, Jeff. The link worked out okay. From what I have learned so far,
I need a T6 base with a nominal length of 21', which I don't expect to
find. A nominal length of 24" could be made to work, but I can't seem to
find that either. My options seem to be limited to changing the fixture,
which means disassembling the cabinet.
 
M

Major Debacle

Jan 1, 1970
0
James said:
No, "Lamp" is a correct term for a fluorescent "bulb", it's not really a
bulb afterall, but a tube.

That sounds like a slimline, I know I've seen fairly short slimline
lamps (tubes) at McLendon hardware near me, I can look next time I go
there. What is the diameter? I believe I've seen both T8 and T6.

This is the wrong length, but otherwise the sort I'm thinking
http://www.lbutampa.com/Lighting-Products/Product/Satco/Light_Bulbs/S6471/

That picture looks exactly like the one I need to change. The diameter
of the tube is probably 3/4", so it would be a T6. I don't have it here
with me. Definitely not a T8. As for length, a two-pin slender style
tube of nominal size 21 inches fits this fixture.

I have run all this by several merchants who specialize in light bulbs
and none have even been able to come close.

I am probably going to have to change the fixtures.
 
H

hr(bob) [email protected]

Jan 1, 1970
0
That picture looks exactly like the one I need to change. The diameter
of the tube is probably 3/4", so it would be a T6. I don't have it here
with me. Definitely not a T8. As for length, a two-pin slender style
tube of nominal size 21 inches fits this fixture.

I have run all this by several merchants who specialize in light bulbs
and none have even been able to come close.

I am probably going to have to change the fixtures.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I am assuming you are in the USA, altho it would help if you had
stated that in your original post as we have a lot of very good UK
contributors here.

It would make a lot of sense if you told us what the fixture was that
the bulb is plugged into. If it was originally a Japanese fixture, it
was meant probably for 100 V AC and when you use it at 120 V AC which
is the standard nowadays for USA voltage, you are probably going to
shorten the life of the bulb. Did you ever see if the original bulb
got very hot at the ends???

H. R.(Bob) Hofmann (USA)
 
J

James Sweet

Jan 1, 1970
0
Major said:
That picture looks exactly like the one I need to change. The diameter
of the tube is probably 3/4", so it would be a T6. I don't have it here
with me. Definitely not a T8. As for length, a two-pin slender style
tube of nominal size 21 inches fits this fixture.

I have run all this by several merchants who specialize in light bulbs
and none have even been able to come close.

I am probably going to have to change the fixtures.


Does it list the wattage? I'll look around and see what I can find.
 
M

Major Debacle

Jan 1, 1970
0
hr(bob) [email protected] said:
I am assuming you are in the USA, altho it would help if you had
stated that in your original post as we have a lot of very good UK
contributors here.

It would make a lot of sense if you told us what the fixture was that
the bulb is plugged into. If it was originally a Japanese fixture, it
was meant probably for 100 V AC and when you use it at 120 V AC which
is the standard nowadays for USA voltage, you are probably going to
shorten the life of the bulb. Did you ever see if the original bulb
got very hot at the ends???

H. R.(Bob) Hofmann (USA)


Sorry about the omission of country of origin. I must be one of those
Americans who think if you speak slowly enough, anyone can understand you.

Yes I am in America. The fixture was hand-wired in Japan inside a
cabinet using individual components.

Here is what the tube looks like at the end:
http://www.bulbman.com/images/t6fa8.jpg

Here is what the socket looks like:
http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/PROD/LK572

The only thing legible to me on the original tube is FSL-520-D. The rest
is Japanese characters.

I believe the '520' refers to the nominal size of 520mm.

The cabinet has been in use in the states for over four years. There are
three fluorescent fixtures wired into this cabinet. One burned out two
years ago. The tubes in the other two fixtures are working fine. They
are not running overly hot to the touch.
 
M

Major Debacle

Jan 1, 1970
0
James said:
Does it list the wattage? I'll look around and see what I can find.

It does not list the wattage, at least not in western characters. There
are some Japanese characters which I do not understand. The only
designation is FSL-520-D, and I believe the '520' refers to the nominal
length in millimeters. I would bet that this tube is hard to find, even
in Japan. I will probably change the electrical guts to accept a
standard two-pin 21 inch tube.
 
J

James Sweet

Jan 1, 1970
0
Major said:
It does not list the wattage, at least not in western characters. There
are some Japanese characters which I do not understand. The only
designation is FSL-520-D, and I believe the '520' refers to the nominal
length in millimeters. I would bet that this tube is hard to find, even
in Japan. I will probably change the electrical guts to accept a
standard two-pin 21 inch tube.


That would be easy enough to do. You can get electronic ballasts now
which are very compact. All you need is a ballast and suitable sockets,
probably easiest to buy a whole fixture.
 
M

Major Debacle

Jan 1, 1970
0
Silver said:
GE has this bulb in their catalog. Is it like the one in your fixture?
Available at TopBulb on the WWW.

SPECIAL APPLICATION LAMPS
COVRGUARD® SHATTER RESISTANT
T12 INSTANT START LAMPS
T12 Single Pin (Fa8) 20 Watts, 24" Nominal Length, 47342 Order Code,
F24T12/CW/CVG

Not the one. At most, this tube is a T6, which would be 3/4 inch
diameter. A T12 would be 1 1/2 inch diameter.

Same style, though... single pin, instant start
 
A

Allodoxaphobia

Jan 1, 1970
0
That would be easy enough to do. You can get electronic ballasts now
which are very compact. All you need is a ballast and suitable sockets,
probably easiest to buy a whole fixture.

s/easiest/less expensive/

But, in any case, it'll no doubt be Made In China crap.

Jonesy
 
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