used to use ccfl's in my pc modding days (back when it was cool to have windowed cases lit up like blackpool) was surprised at the life you could get out of them despite being cheap as chips.
thats obviously in a different league so lifespan should be considerable?

Good work Jonathan!

THanks andy

Oh this ccfl is rated at 80,000 to 100,000 hours by which point the glass should end up completely silvered and dim

That looks mint! I used to use a couple of blue ones in my PC case. The inverters used to fail before the lamps. They could give you a decent shock those too! That was back in the day when you *had* to mod your own case because nobody sold cases like the ones you get today. I sprayed my "beige box" black and cut the hole in the side pannel myself for the perspex!

Gorgeous mix of colour!