What is Lamp Warm-up and Stabilization?
Low-frequency lamps need a starter to ensure the preheat current for the filament. After warming, the starter turns off the current and the starting voltage is generated by the coil, beginning the discharge. Because the lamp has warmed does not mean that the output has stabilized. On first lighting after installation, mercury may be partially distributed throughout the lamp as randomly sized drops in equally random locations. As the lamp operates, mercury will evaporate from its initial locations and the vapor pressure increases until it reaches a constant level. The mercury either condenses in the coldest part of the lamp (which controls the vapor pressure) or it is absorbed into the amalgam (if present). Before the lamp is turned, on mercury vapor pressure within it is determined by ambient temperature, and is essentially zero. At ambient temperatures below 20° C, mercury vapor pressure is below 1 micron. When the lamp is turned on and power is dissipated in a positive column, the la
