Fluorescent Lamp Circuit

DCS Code: 5L20.14 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
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Safety Warnings

Purpose

A Sylvania demonstration board shows a fluorescent lamp circuit with visible starter and ballast components, and circuit paths traced in white and orange. The tube is half-coated with phosphor: the coated side produces white light while the uncoated side shows the blue glow of excited mercury vapor.

Sylvania Electric demonstration board with illuminated fluorescent tube at top (left half glowing blue from uncoated mercury vapor, right half white from phosphor coating). Below: white lines trace the starter circuit path through an AUTOMATIC/MANUAL toggle switch, red/orange lines trace the ballast circuit through a black ballast component. LINE connection at bottom.
Figure 1: Sylvania demonstration board with half-coated fluorescent tube lit. White lines trace the starter circuit; red lines trace the ballast circuit. The uncoated left side shows blue mercury vapor emission; the coated right side shows white phosphor fluorescence.