Hard starting Actinics

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by TANGOMAN

Ya', thanks Bob... . So this theory states the ballast must grounded ? Is this refering to the "grounding plane". I'm eatin' this up cause it would explain why rubbing the tubes gets them to fire...static electricity ? I've tried grounding the ballast, attaching a ground wire to the bulb . Shall I connect a wire above the tube and connect to the ballast and the ground the whole unit...?
This book ya' got there Bob. Ya' sure it wasn't "re-printed" in 1975. I thought you hung around with that guy who liked to fly kites during electrical storms...

OK all smart a***s remarks aside. It is the bulb that needs a ground plane. That's why a grounded reflector should fix the problem. I recall building strip lights in the late seventies. I was using 30" tubes. The tubes always required rubbing to start them. No off colour jokes now.