Re: Flourescent tubes, (Resistance)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "M G" <gt4awd@xxxxxxxxx>

Thanks for clearing this up. That is why I had a question mark in
the title. Really was not sure if a fluorescent tube had little to no
resistance or the differences that effect the amount of resistance.
Matt G.

-------------------------------------------------------------
"No resistance" in the first paragraph is incorrect. What is

true is that, at low frequencies, the INCREMENTAL resistance is

negative meaning that if you get the lamp lit at some voltage the

current will tend to run away; the ballast limits the current as you

point out. At much higher frequencies this effect is no longer there

and operation without a ballast is more stable. The miserable

compact screw-in fluorescents work around 40 kHz or so and don't need
a conventional ballast. Do a web search and you'll find a lot of

information on the actual behavior of fluorescent bulbs at high

frequencies and the design of suitable driving circuits.



A string of fluorescent bulbs connected to a TC would indeed

conduct current but not with very low resistance. Tesla apparently

misinterpreted his results with evacuated tubes - he had no way to

measure the resistance and the high voltage high impedance circuits

he used would still transfer power with the real resistance that was

there. His claims in one of his "world power system" patents that

the resistance of the "rarified region" would conduct energy more

effectively than a copper wire were pure bunkum and I wonder if he

himself really believed that. Look at the typical voltage drops in

neon sign tubing to see the resistance to expect.



Ed













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