This is a Malibu Fluorescent Bulb for solar fixtures. I got this 3-5-10. I think it is so cool because of how small it is. This is my most favorite fluorescent bulb I have (at this time). I would like to know the the wattage and voltage of this bulb (if anyone knows). I could not find a fixture for it, although I would like to find one.
It look like about 0.16A, i guess 4Watter.
To check it, find two isolated 3.6V supplies (2*3 charged AA accu cells), to supply both filaments.
Find some small transformer (~5..10VA)
Find some power plug and few wires.
Connect filament supplies (filaments would dimly red glow)
Connect tube ends n series with the transformer primary to the mains. The transformer would act like few 10's of mA ballast choke, low enough to not overload cathodes.
The tube should light (or you might help it by some high voltage kick by momentary shorting the lamp electrodes)
Then you might measure the lamp voltage (if you do not have "true rms" meter, divide the reading by 1.15 due to shape - voltage on the lamp is square-wave, but the regular meter is calibrated for sinewave).
If it would be about 20..30V, then you might light it from any FxT5 or PL-S x preheat ballast, where x < 9W for 120V and x<13 for 230V territory (all are 0.16A lamps operating with simple series choke in preheat ballasts, so are ballast-wise compatible to each other)
These are 1 watt. You cannot light it in the fashion described above as there are only two pins (filaments are not separately heatable). However, a small CCFL inverter used from a small display backlight will light it just fine. A small plasma globe will make it glow too (it's a daylight 6500K tube).
I had the fixture for this, a solar flood light by Malibu - it was my first solar light, which cost me almost $40. It lasted about 3 years before the circuitry failed. Even when it did work, it would provide useable light for about 2.5 hours after a full day of sun on the longest day of the year. The rest of the night....and year...it was just about useless (though a higher quality solar cell and more batteries would have helped, as well as a metal fixture housing - mine leaked water which ultimately destroyed the electronics). The Malibu fluorescent lights haven't been made in years.
@GullWhiz: I doubt it is 9watter, it is too small. The1W the most likely rating (see the type number...). But that mean, then the lamp would be rated about 30mA.
@vaporeeyes: Lighting it at CCFL and/or plasma globe supply would damage cathodes very quickly - they do not provide enough current to heat them on correct temperature.
For such low current lamp you might try to light it as described above, even without the preheat - i think it will ignite.
I've seen these on clearance at a local hardware store before but I didn't get any because I didn't have a fixture or know any suitable gear to run this on.
I kind of recall reading that they were 1 watt lamps somewhere either on the package or online.
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To check it, find two isolated 3.6V supplies (2*3 charged AA accu cells), to supply both filaments.
Find some small transformer (~5..10VA)
Find some power plug and few wires.
Connect filament supplies (filaments would dimly red glow)
Connect tube ends n series with the transformer primary to the mains. The transformer would act like few 10's of mA ballast choke, low enough to not overload cathodes.
The tube should light (or you might help it by some high voltage kick by momentary shorting the lamp electrodes)
Then you might measure the lamp voltage (if you do not have "true rms" meter, divide the reading by 1.15 due to shape - voltage on the lamp is square-wave, but the regular meter is calibrated for sinewave).
If it would be about 20..30V, then you might light it from any FxT5 or PL-S x preheat ballast, where x < 9W for 120V and x<13 for 230V territory (all are 0.16A lamps operating with simple series choke in preheat ballasts, so are ballast-wise compatible to each other)
I had the fixture for this, a solar flood light by Malibu - it was my first solar light, which cost me almost $40. It lasted about 3 years before the circuitry failed. Even when it did work, it would provide useable light for about 2.5 hours after a full day of sun on the longest day of the year. The rest of the night....and year...it was just about useless (though a higher quality solar cell and more batteries would have helped, as well as a metal fixture housing - mine leaked water which ultimately destroyed the electronics). The Malibu fluorescent lights haven't been made in years.
@vaporeeyes: Lighting it at CCFL and/or plasma globe supply would damage cathodes very quickly - they do not provide enough current to heat them on correct temperature.
For such low current lamp you might try to light it as described above, even without the preheat - i think it will ignite.
I kind of recall reading that they were 1 watt lamps somewhere either on the package or online.