Old and worn fluorescent starter

This fluorescent starter is not only vintage but is near the end of its days. It takes a very long time to start working and when it finally does start, it blinks for a very long time. I love blink happy preheat fixtures, but this might be overkill. This is an FS-2 starter made by the Star company. It has a dome shaped glowtube rather than the usual Christmas tree light or cylindrical shaped glowtubes we see most of the time. As far as I know, the domed shape is the oldest, I know for sure it is the rarest. The bimetalic contacts have a very interesting shape to them and the glowtube appears to be filled with neon (orange glow) rather than the usual argon. I have removed the casing so that we can see everything that is going on. The desklamp in this video is the one I rewired from push and hold to starter type. Anyways, enjoy.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• fluorescent
• light
• starter
• old
• worn
• blink
• flicker
• cool
• awesome

[rickyatHK]

Where is the condenser???

[DavidFromAE]

That is the funny thing. This particular starter did not have a condenser. The starters from this era either had a wax paper condenser or no condenser at all. Later, some starters had ceramic condensers. The most recent ones are mylar. I think they still make starters with no condensers as well. For example, one company in America has two varieties of starter with different model numbers. For example The FS-2C has a condenser, the FS-2X does not have a condenser, but both are of the FS-2 type.

[Detroit8V92tta]

A blackened starter does not necesssarily mean its finished. Some starters are made that way, using some mercury in the production. This starter in the video here is however, stuffed!

[Detroit8V92tta]

@dieselducy The glow starter can last many decades. I know, I live in Australia.

[VICNASTY1989]

@dieselducy

The last time I checked my Sears Hardware still had them (although I don't know how old they are- LOL!), they are Levitton brand FS-2 and FS-12's. I have also seen them on the bulb wholesale websites that sell ballasts and accessories like "1000bulbs" (and the other USA lighting websites). Where did you get that Electronic starter you have made videos of?

[dieselducy]

@VICNASTY1989 WHERE do u get a USA made neon starter ?!?! I want some. I just got some holland made philips ones.

[robertgift]

Neon?

[JISINSANE3]

I have a tanning bed. My wife and I like to stay tan. They are preheat choke ballast. Anyway, 2 starters failed to start the bulbs, The are supposed to have these s-12 starters. Well, I had a handful of starters and took them apart and they all looked the same, Different wattage rating on each but they all looked the same, So guess what, I figured out the marketing scam technics slaped the 35w rated starter in a 100w  tanning lamp rated bulb and it starts like a new starter should.

[dieselducy]

How long is the lifespan of a neon starter?

[VICNASTY1989]

@RCM442

I buy USA made Levitton neon starters (although they are getting harder to find now adays) - I made a video awhile back of a new one- its called "Mercury accumulation on a neon starter"- if you broke one open you wouldn't find liquid mercury but it would have traces of mercury vapor in it- part of the production process coats the glass with mercury (its really cool looking). It may also depend on what country they are made in whether they make them like that.

[RCM442]

@VICNASTY1989 I guess I will have to get a new starter and look at it! I never knew, although I don't think they do, as I have busted several open, and found no mercury...could be a different brand from the ones that you are looking at though! I'm not saying you are wrong, I am just saying all the ones that I have seen haven't had mercury in them!

[VICNASTY1989]

@RCM442

That is true with argon starters, and I know what you are talking about (when they get old and start to turn blackish-silver) but the heavily covered almost chrome glass at the bottom of a Neon starter is mercury. Neon starters look silver when they are new and the coating is more fluid shaped.