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From: pierson@ggone.enet.dec.com (Dave Pierson)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Flouro with a mind of its own!!
Keywords: Fluorescent light, leakage
Message-ID: <18784@shlump.nac.dec.com>
Date: 8 Jan 91 17:03:36 GMT
Sender: newsdaemon@shlump.nac.dec.com
Distribution: sci.electronics
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 28

In article <1991Jan8.044340.11045@athena.cs.uga.edu>,
mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington) writes, in part, concerning a
fluorescent light which won't go "off"
>2 questions:

>(2) Could be a grounding problem, especially since you're in a country
>with 240V mains. 240V on one side and a high-resistance ground on the
>other _could_ light a fluorescent bulb. They're famous for being able
>to glow -- weakly -- on very low current if the voltage is high enough.

	In a similar vein, if the switch were installed in the low/neutral side
of the line, this would leave the lamp energized at 220/240, even with the
switch off.  This could lead to the dim flickering effect, due to physical
leakage to a (?)grounded fixture, or capcitive coupling to same.  The
description of the glow following fingers brushed along the tube supports this.

	I have no idea as to the "electric code" applicable, in general, at
least in tne US, the switch must/should be in the "hot" side of any load.
(I assume this is a 240_to_neutral, which is the usual arrangement in "240 v"
juridictions.)

thanks
dave pierson			|the facts, as accurately as i can manage,
Digital Equipment Corporation	|the opinions, my own.
600 Nickerson Rd
Marlboro, Mass
01752				pierson@cimnet.enet.dec.com
"He has read everything, and, to his credit, written nothing."  A J Raffles