Re: fluorescent tube question

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "rheidlebaugh by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <rheidlebaugh-at-zialink-dot-com>

I would suspect a broken tube wouldn't work because the phosphor is UV
activated not electron activated. The Hg vapor is electron activated to
produce UV so if the tube is not gas tight the system would fail.I have used
a 8 ft tube to show antenna paterns and standing wave patterns to my
classes. The tube lights in zones as the standing wave patterns form.I
beleave it is direct excitation of the vapor inside not the phosphor.
    Robert  H

> From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 18:58:49 -0700
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: fluorescent tube question
> Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Resent-Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 19:28:03 -0700
> 
> Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
> <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>
> 
> Tesla list wrote:
>> 
>> Original poster: "David Thomson by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dave-at-volantis-dot-org>
>> 
>> Hi Ed,
>> 
>>> I always thought (maybe incorrectly) that the RF from the Tesla coil was
>> exciting the phosphor on the inside of the tube directly and not ionizing
>> the gas in the tube.
>> 
>> Place a broken fluorescent tube next to the output of a tesla coil.  If the
>> phosphor coated glass glows, you are correct.
>> 
>> Dave
> 
> Good thought and don't think it will.  There are electroluminescent
> materials, of course, but they DO require AC current and consume power.
> I don't think any work at such high frequencies, but they might.
> 
> Ed
> 
> 
>