2023 is the year that the fluorescent tube gets banned in Europe, and may be progressively banned in various American states.
I found this old sign illumination module and thought it would be worth making a video about it.
I could have had a rant about how many LED lights have had efficiency and lifespan specifications that are just utter lies, and how you can't even change a lamp in a modern fixture. But instead I'll just give the proven fluorescent technology the dignity it deserves.
The basics of the classic fluorescent tube is that it contains a carrier gas and tiny amount of mercury vapour. The mercury vapour gives off UV that stimulates the internal phosphor coating and converts it to white light. The ends of the tubes have heated cathodes with a thermo-emissive coating that lowers the voltage drop between the electrode and gas when it is heated. Initially it's heated by direct powering of the heaters, but is then maintained in a hot state by the normal tube operation.
Some ballast circuits have the power factor correction capacitor in series with the rest of the circuit.
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