[iyonix-support] Re: Screen saver and Pyjamas
- From: Roger Darlington <rogerarm@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: iyonix-support@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2006 10:01:40 +0100
On 8 Oct 2006, Steve Fryatt wrote:
>
> CCFLs use high voltages to strike them, and the strike will be the most
> stressful (by far) time of operation for the lamp driver circuit
> (ballast).
Or cosmic rays could presumably strike a CCFL into opertating without
the use of initially high strike voltages. Maybe also a source of beta
rays within the 'tube' of the CCFL could perform a similar function
without having to wait for a sporadic cosmic ray, travelling in the
right direction, to hit your CCFL.
The radioactive isotope Americium-241 is in widespread use within the
ionized-air type of smoke detector. It is an alpha emitter with a
halflife of 432 years; a line of this element stretching across from
near one electrode to near the other electrode should be sufficient to
ionize the gas within the CCFL sufficiently to initiate a silent
electric discharge within the tube without the requirement for a high
strike voltage..
The only caveat would be that the americium-241 would be nearer a
person than it typically is in a home smoke alarm system, [unless your
bed is directly over a downstairs smoke alarm on the ceiling], but
alpha rays do not travel far in air, so you should be quite safe,
providing you don't ingest it.
Another of my inventions? I only just thought of that application.
--
Cheers
Roger
Bury Walkers http://burywalkers.members.beeb.net/
Atomic Software http://rogerdarlington.members.beeb.net/
Summer Winers http://rogerarm.freeuk.com/rogerarm/
Bury Hut http://buryhut.members.beeb.net/
If I was going there, I wouldn't start from here.
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