# Flickering light with starter



## Mike wentzel (Sep 11, 2018)

Hey guys how long does a fluorescent starter normally last you guys when you use it to flicker a light. I have been doing this and I only get two days out of the starter and it’s dead and I have to rewire a new one in


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Possibly someone with more experience will come along to say 'officially' but every time the discussion comes up, that seems to be the general rule... they don't last very long, prepare to change out frequently. 

You're basically taking a relay which is designed to switch once, each time a fluorescent light is turned on, and making it switch essentially continuously the entire time your flicker light is on. Plus, I think the newer starters are thin wire contacts in a glass / argon bulb. This thin wire will erode very fast in 'flicker duty'. Older starters were actually metallic strips with relay contact buttons - a bit longer lived.

You can try to reduce the wattage of the bulb and/or increase the wattage of the starter - though either will affect the amount of flicker you get.

You can wire in an actual fluorescent starter socket - and keep a large bucket of starters handy... at least the change out would only be a 15-20 second job.

Other options would be to upgrade to a 'short circuit LED flicker bulb' - which would have the flicker built in as part of the electronics.

Or, of course, DIY with some LEDs and the controller of your choice.

Obviously with the last two options, you're getting into more of a 'normal operation' mode, so the lifetime goes up considerably.


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## mroct31 (Nov 10, 2007)

Interesting, I've been using one in my bottomless pit for years now and don't remember ever changing the starter. 
I am only using 1 60w bulb and I do have the socket wired in the line and not just the starter so don't know if that has anything to do with the longevity but like the Energizer bunny it keeps going and going!


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## DeathStalker (Aug 6, 2008)

I've used them in "old lanterns" with a small base low watt bulb for years and never replaced one.
I have found that I've had to buy and test several different ones to get the right flickering (speed)effect that I wanted.


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## Dave Leppo (May 16, 2012)

I don't know for sure, but I suspect the more wattage goes thru them, the quicker they burn out?


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