Increase lifetime of fluorescent tubes

Fluorescent tubes are not designed to be turned on and off at all times. (LSR = fluorescent tube)

The physical background:

When the LSR is ignited, 2 filaments are heated in the LSR to create charged parts that dissolve out of the metal and are required to "ignite" the gas. (Principle of the Braun tube). It is easy to see that when switching on, the two ends only light up.


So if you ignite the LSR too often, the heating coil dissolves over time. You can also see that because of the heat of the "ignition heating", the ends of the LSR are getting blacker and darker. That comes through the heat of the filament.

LSRs are actually "perennial burners", meaning they are designed for continuous operation rather than constant on and off.

Sure, such an LSR does not cost much, but the longer you burn it, the longer it lasts.

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