[ RadSafe ] Information of radioactive material used in compact fluorescent bulbs

[John Jacobus]

>From another list server

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2007 11:47 AM

. . . 

My googling indicates that it's compact fluorescent
tubes with magnetic ballasts that contain
radioactivity, and not all CFLs use magnetic ballasts.

I've found the following URL which explains that the
starter switches in Sylvania DuLux compact fluorescent
lamps contain 0.01 uCi of Kr-85 used ot ensure that
the lamps start within 0.5 sec:
http://ecom.mysylvania.com/miniapps/lightingcenter/PDFs/faq0009-0800.pdf

I found another reference which indicates that the
radionuclides in starters may include Kr-85, Pm-147,
tritium, and natural thorium. These provide a dark
current to start the lamp quickly.

The most useful article may be the one available at
http://www.nema.org/stds/lsd15.cfm entitled
"Radioactive Substances in Compact Fluorescent Lamps."
 You have to register to view the article, but it's a
painless sort of registration.
. . .

+++++++++++++++++++
What are the facts? Again and again and again – what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking,. . . avoid opinion, [and] care not what the neighbors think, . . .what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your single clue. Get the facts!” 
 "Time Enough for Love," Robert Heinlein, 1973

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com

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