Compact Fluorescent Schematic

Oct 17, 2008 3 Replies

Has anyone ever autopsied a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) and derived the schematic? I have a failed GE 13 watt - 180 ma CFL in front of me that has about 25 components including what appears to be a full-wave bridge rectifier, and capacitor (5 components), a choke, a transformer, two three-terminal devices that I assume must be transistors driving the transformer, and several resistors and capacitors. There also appears to be a mini-fuse in the hot lead coming from the base of the lamp. I know that is good, also the bridge rectifier is working. No signs of any oscillation from the rest of the circuit. No markings whatsoever on either of the transistors. A schematic, even a generic, would make looking at this thing reasonable when I get some spare time, otherwise it is into the garbage in a plastic bag to contain any mercury in the lamp.



Bob Hofmann


On Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:26:03 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) snipped-for-privacy@att.net" put finger to keyboard and composed:

This page has several reverse engineered CFL circuits:

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- Franc Zabkar

Please remove one \'i\' from my address when replying by email.

Meat Plow and Franc:

Thanks much, that is just what I was looking for.

Bob Hofmann

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