how to flicker a fluorescent light

[farlande]

Hi

I'm an artist and would like to create flickering effect of fluorescent lights as they are broken. I researched a lot on the internet but people only teach how to flicker an incandescent bulb. Does anyone know how to do it? Can I create the same effect on a compact fluorescent lamp rather than a normal one? Also can I change the frequency of the flickering? Thanks a lot!!

 

[bobcat1]

HI

You might teak a fluorescent with dimmer control and control the dimming with a microcontroller and a D2A converter using this method you might emulate the filcker effect

All the best

Bobi

 

[padspcb]

Hi
Basically a fluorescent lamp is like a spark gap. i.e. if you rise the voltage slowly nothing happens, until around 90 Volts it shorts. This is why normally you need a big inductor to hold the current down. So at old fashioned way, it will flash 120 times per second on a 60Hz AC. Electronic balasts on other hand rectify the main AC to something arround 300V and then switch this voltage at some 20KHz, reducing the flicker effect.
So to use as a strobe, you need an inductor and a switch in bridge fashion, so once you turn one side other the other side. You may achieve by i=using a simple 555 and some transistors a nice strobe.
The filaments you see in the lamp are used to HEAT the inside gas, so to lower the required voltage to turn it on, but with 400VDC you dont need them.
But remember, once they turn on they became a short circuit!
Have fun....
But xeon lamps have more energy, so they are best.