12VDC Fluorescent Lamp Driver
A number of people have been unable to find the transformer needed for the Black Light project, so I looked around to see if I could find a fluorescent lamp driver that does not require any special components. I finally found one in Electronics Now. Here it is. It uses a normal 120 to 6V stepdown transformer in reverse to step 12V to about 350V to drive a lamp without the need to warm the filaments.
Schematic
Parts:
|
Part |
Total Qty. |
Description |
Substitutions |
|
C1 |
1 |
100uf 25V Electrolytic Capacitor |
|
|
C2,C3 |
2 |
0.01uf 25V Ceramic Disc Capacitor |
|
|
C4 |
1 |
0.01uf 1KV Ceramic Disc Capacitor |
|
|
R1 |
1 |
1K 1/4W Resistor |
|
|
R2 |
1 |
2.7K 1/4W Resistor |
|
|
Q1 |
1 |
IRF510 MOSFET |
|
|
U1 |
1 |
TLC555 Timer IC |
|
|
T1 |
1 |
6V 300mA Transformer |
|
|
LAMP |
1 |
4W Fluorescent Lamp |
|
|
MISC |
1 |
Board, Wire, Heatsink For Q1 |
Notes:
1. Q1 must be installed on a heat sink.
2. A 240V to 10V transformer will work better then the one in the parts list. The problem is that they are hard to find.
3. This circuit can give a nasty (but not too dangerous) shock. Be careful around the output leads.