Comments on: freestanding fluorescent

Question: freestanding fluorescent

Infernarl — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:33:59 -0800

Can I make a freestanding fluorescent light fixture like this or this from a regular fluorescent light fixture and bulb?

If not how are these made? I really want to make or buy a fluorescent light that sticks out from the ceiling at a 90 degree angle and has no visible wires.

By: le morte de bea arthur

le morte de bea arthur — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:26:45 -0800

I suspect the nearest you'll be able to achieve is to put a standard tube inside some sort of frosted outer tube. You should be able to conceal the wiring to the far end of the tube provided the gap between fluorescent tube and outer tube is large enough, and provided you use narrow white or translucent wire for the internal wiring. And anyway, you don't want a bare fluorescent with no protective outer cover just hanging from your ceiling - they're far too fragile and the lightest tap is likely to result in a nasty shower of mercury-tainted glass shards...

A standard tube can only be ignited from one end using a pretty hefty tesla coil, and you don't want to be messing with one of those...

You'll probably find that the examples you've seen contain a special U-shaped tube or else have concealed return wires from the far end.

By: Netzapper

Netzapper — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:34:43 -0800

I'm not sure why bea arthur's death says "I suspect the nearest you'll be able to achieve".

What he described is exactly what both of those examples do. Bulb inside tube, with concealed wires.

By: le morte de bea arthur

le morte de bea arthur — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:49:53 -0800

Sorry for being tentative.

By: Chuckles

Chuckles — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:16:16 -0800

The Electronics Repair FAQ on fluorescent lights will be helpful.