Dear Dennis... EN-Genius Network's Dennis Feucht answers your design queries in his new Circuit Design Clinic! August, 2007

EN-Genius Network presents a new, interactive analog design service to readers! Send us your design questions (with relevant data; schematics in JPEG or GIF, please) for some free engineering advice from EN-Genius Network's circuit consultant, Dennis Feucht, on how you might solve a design problem or improve circuit performance. Submissions may be edited for clarity or brevity, and submitters and their email addresses will remain anonymous (unless otherwise indicated). Please send your questions to Dennis here.

Compact Fluorescent Lamp Repair
by Dennis L. Feucht

Now that incandescent lamps are joining CRTs on their way to obsolescence, we are finding compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and white LEDs, for spot lighting, growing in familiarity. Like all electronics, CFLs eventually fail. Decrying the throw-away mentality and with the requisite skills already in hand (or head), the inquisitive engineer or technician will explore the possibilities of CLF repair. Happily, this is usually not difficult.

Shown below is a CFL that was repaired and still on the electronics bench…

...download complete article here (3233 KB PDF)