Using fluorescent tube

[crazybuoy]

I need a small low cost ballast circuit for my 6w tube without transformers.

Any suggestion?

 

[Anna Conda]

you will need a magnetic of some sort for a simple low cost circuit, better get used to the idea....

 

[jiripolivka]

The lowest cost ballast is a small choke designed and sold with the tube.
Electronic ballasts are designed for particular tubes and difficult to make as components are not marked.
Best buy a tube encapsulated with a ballast. You can build a RF oscillator for battery operation but you must experiment.

 

[crazybuoy]

I want like this image. There may be some changes to make it practical for 6W tube.

 

[betwixt]

That should win an award for the most complicated way to draw a bridge rectifier.

It runs the tube on DC and without heater current. Expect a short tube life and unreliable starting. The available output current is almost entirely set by the 2.2uF capacitor, adjust it's value so XC = the value needed for your tube current.

Brian.

 

[Anna Conda]

Brian's comment's hit the nail on the head exactly...!