Light's

[Rednuts]

hi

well not to sure if this is normal but i have never notice before

all my tanks have the lights on timers.
now when they get turned off ,

and on the end of the tubes theys still a slight glow in them likes there's a little bit of power getting them but not enough to light them up

i have never notice this before and just thinking is this noraml is there a problem whit the timer's or something am i overloading the timers.
has any body had this happen before . i just tired to get a pic but it does not turn out.

 

[rsands]

what lights you got? i know my new light tubes did it for the first time they were on for a brief second or two..but dont anymore

 

[reggieschuey]

thats perfectly normal. fluroescents work by having electrons flowin from one end to another. When you switch it off thats going to be electron going..

 

[JamesC]

The inside of a fluorescent tube is coated with phosphurs which glow when hit by ultra violet light created by an electrical arc in the tube. When the electrical current is stopped the phosphurs carry on glowing for a short while. A bit like when you turn off a CRT TV set, the screen glows for a short while because of the phosphurs on the inside of the screen.

The glow you can see in the end of the tube is the coil that is used to excite the electrons to create the arc. The coil glows red hot so takes a little while to cool down. Quite normal.

James

 

[Rooster]

The coil glows red hot so takes a little while to cool down. Quite normal.

Oh no it isnt ! The heaters within the tube ends are ONLY lit during the initial start up, I suspect you have a faulty starter (the little white cylindrical 2 pin doo dah thats plugged into you lighting gear) Try removing the starter and see if this "glow" goes away, if so - you need a new one... 50p from any hardware shop, £4 from LFS !

 

[JamesC]

I stand corrected. Yes the coils only glow until the bulb is lit.

James