11-05-2013, 08:09 PM
There is some mis-information here. The 50A1 ballast tube is DEFINATELY needed. It performs at least three functions:
1) it acts as a voltage dropping resistor
2) it acts as a current "valve" to keep inrush current from killing the tube filaments and
3) it acts as a fuse
Some sell a large power resistor that can be plugged into the socket, but this only does one of the jobs of the 50A1. Without the tube in the socket, there is no filament current at all, so no operation.
1) it acts as a voltage dropping resistor
2) it acts as a current "valve" to keep inrush current from killing the tube filaments and
3) it acts as a fuse
Some sell a large power resistor that can be plugged into the socket, but this only does one of the jobs of the 50A1. Without the tube in the socket, there is no filament current at all, so no operation.
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