Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!inc
From: inc@tc.fluke.COM (Gary Benson)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Flash tubes
Message-ID: <10919@fluke.COM>
Date: 7 Sep 89 21:00:53 GMT
Sender: news@tc.fluke.COM
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 37
Keywords: flash, tubes, xenon, strobes, timing lights

Hello -- at one time in my life I owned a handbook printed by a manufacturer
of flash tubes. It was a handy little publication, about 50 pages I'd say,
chocked full of interesting info aobut flash tubes. Well, I don't have it
any more, but I wish I did. Maybe someone who reads this group can help.

I have a small flash tube from a camera's flash attachment, and I'd like to
build a small timing light with it. The last time I built one, it was easy:
just followed the schematic in my flash tube book. There wasn't much to it
as I recall -- the spark plug wire went directly to the flash tube's
trigger. But the anode and cathode needed some circuitry between the battery
and the tube, but I can't remember, and being no engineer, have not the
foggiest idea how to design a circuit.

Does anyone have any idea:

    A. What the "bias" voltage is for a typical small flashtube, and is it
       DC or AC? If AC, what frequency?

    B. Where I can get a "ballpark" schematic to start playing with,
       modifying, etc?

    C. Where I can pick up some hobbyist-level information about flash-tube
       circuits. Besides Radio Shack, I mean. They haven't had what I needed
       in my last dozen or so trips there.

    D. The name of the company who might have published a book such as the
       one I just described? Address and/or phone number would be nice too!


Thanks!




-- 
GaryBenson_-inc@tc.fluke.COM-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-Tell the girls to slice the ham thin -J.C. Penney