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W tube fitting internals Underneath the previously pictured NOS W tube was this fitting, at the time, I didn't realise it was a W tube fitting, until I dragged it out and opened it up. It revealed a second W tube, albeit gassed devastatingly. Looking closer, the lamp cap has come loose, and it looks to have taken the glass vacuum rod with it too, so I'm hopeful a repair can be made. The fitting here is shown open, revealing even more surprises, quickstart gear, and also confirming the make of the fitting as being atlas or BLI.

W tube fitting internals

Underneath the previously pictured NOS W tube was this fitting, at the time, I didn't realise it was a W tube fitting, until I dragged it out and opened it up. It revealed a second W tube, albeit gassed devastatingly. Looking closer, the lamp cap has come loose, and it looks to have taken the glass vacuum rod with it too, so I'm hopeful a repair can be made.
The fitting here is shown open, revealing even more surprises, quickstart gear, and also confirming the make of the fitting as being atlas or BLI.

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Filename:PICT1177.jpg
Album name:Dave / Control gear
Filesize:115 KiB
Date added:19 Dec, 2016
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URL:http://80.229.24.59:9232/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=5057
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Comment 1 to 6 of 6
Page: 1

AngryHorse   [19 Dec, 2016 at 05:42 PM]
Nice and simple in there, in good condition too!
Dave   [19 Dec, 2016 at 05:43 PM]
From what I was told its been in that shed for a few decades so considering all that, its kept amazingly well.
Arrowslim   [19 Dec, 2016 at 06:35 PM]
the fused connector block has ATLAS/THORN written all over it. real nice save there. Cant be many of these kicking around
dor123   [01 May, 2025 at 10:13 AM]
What is the "Quickstart" along with the series choke?
Lightbulbfun   [01 May, 2025 at 11:38 AM]
thats the quick-start cathode heating autotransformer Smile its across the output of the choke, when voltage is first applied to the fixture about 9V-18V is applied across the cathodes of the tube, which heat them up to electron-emissive temperature very quickly at which point the tube is able to strike (if suitably grounded) on the 240V OCV across it, and once it strikes, as the cathode-heating transformer is *after* the choke, the voltage going into it then drops to the running voltage of the tube, and thus cathode heating voltage is now appropriately reduced
dor123   [01 May, 2025 at 02:32 PM]
This reminds me the Eltam and Shaingout rapid-start ballast for F96T12 /HO 110W T12 American lamps, which also have a heating transformer in additional to the series choke.

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