Why so many various watt ratings on a fluorescent starter? (Pic)

[mart]

It is no problem going to an electrical shop with a blown starter, and coming out with a new one a minute or two later.

I'm keen understand what they all mean.

Top
13w, 25-65w

Lower down on the starter
4-8w, 15w, 18-20w
80w

Maybe the wattage of the light fitting has to be within one of the ratings?

 

[voipio]

This is a bit of an oversimplification, perhaps, but fluorescent tube starters are basically produced in three different voltage ranges, the range being determined by the gap between starter electrodes and gas filling pressure. Each starter voltage range is best suited to a particular range of lengths of fluorescent tubes, whose operating voltage largely depends on tube length. A high voltage starter will still work with a short tube, though starting will tend to be less good in terms of time taken and tube life. On the other hand, a low voltage starter used with a long tube will tend to result in tube flicker whilst on, especially in an ageing tube (whose voltage tends to increase with age), because the tube running voltage will be at a point where the starter glow discharge will tend to establish, and restart the starting cycle again.

The wattage of the tube doesn't need to be within one of the ratings, although they generally will be, because tubes are manufactured to be within those "standard" ratings. The chances are, a 22W tube will work fine, if you could find a 22W tube. Basically, this starter will work with any tube between 4W and 80W, but if you have an 80W tube, better results would be obtained with a starter where 80W was close to the "middle" of the range.

 

[mart]

Thank you for detailed explanation.

 

[brightspark]

the 22 watt starters are designed to work in 2 foot tubes in series. if 1 tube or starter goes off neither will work .the 4 to 60w starters go from 2 foot to 5 foot . a 6 foot to 8 foot are 75 watt to 125