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re: Fluoro tubes from Europe



Most (all?) of Europe uses a 220v line voltage. I used to be sure it was 
all 50 Hz too, but I was working with a group of Germans several years ago 
that told me they were switching over to 60 Hz. Switching line frequency 
would be a *HUGE* undertaking for all kinds of reasons (motors and clocks 
would run too fast for example), so I don't know if they understood what I 
asked...

Anyway, if you need to get 220v to run some European electrical equipment 
you can get 110 <-> 220v step up/down transformers from All Electronics 
(http://www.allcorp.com) in sizes from about 100 VA to about 3000 VA. 
Prices are pretty reasonable.

I would think you should be able to run a 50 Hz ballast on 60 Hz without 
any trouble, but starting might be different (not sure on this). Most 
transformers can operate on higher frequencies without a problem, but it 
does NOT work in the other direction. I suspect that the secondary (bulb) 
side of the ballast would behave the same as north american ballasts unless 
the lamp design is different.

BTW, Japan uses a nominal line voltage of 100 volts, at I believe 60 Hz.

         -Bill


>I may have opportunity and would like to try some fluoro tubes from Europe.
>I am aware of primary/secondary from ballasts, but not sure about if design
>differences will work on ballast(110V/50-60Hz) here in the US.
>Has any of you experience with them?
>Apropos, "Amano's" tubes which at one point were sold in US are from Japan,
>correct?