12 V Florescent lamp driver circuit

This circuit provides a simple and effective method for driving fluorescent lamps using a 12 V power supply. The circuit consists of an oscillator, a MOSFET switch, and a step-up transformer to power the fluorescent lamp. The TLC 555 integrated circuit (IC1) is configured as an astable multivibrator to generate the required oscillations. The MOSFET (Q1) amplifies the oscillations produced by IC1. The output of the MOSFET is connected to the primary winding of the step-up transformer, generating approximately 400 V AC to drive the fluorescent lamp. For the transformer (T1), a 10 W, 230 V to 10 V step-down transformer is used in an inverted configuration, where the 10 V winding is connected to the MOSFET side, and the 230 V winding is connected to the fluorescent lamp side.

The circuit operates by utilizing the TLC 555 timer IC configured in an astable mode, which continuously switches between high and low states, generating a square wave output. This square wave is fed into the gate of the MOSFET (Q1), which acts as a switch. When the MOSFET is turned on, it allows current to flow through the primary winding of the transformer (T1), inducing a high voltage in the secondary winding due to the transformer's step-up characteristics.

The selection of the transformer is crucial; a 10 W, 230 V to 10 V transformer is specified to ensure that it can handle the power requirements of the fluorescent lamp while providing the necessary voltage increase. The inverted configuration of the transformer ensures that the lower voltage side is connected to the MOSFET, allowing it to control the higher voltage output effectively.

This design is efficient for driving fluorescent lamps, as it minimizes the complexity of the circuit while providing the necessary high voltage required for lamp operation. Proper heat dissipation mechanisms should be considered for the MOSFET, as it may generate heat during operation, and adequate insulation must be ensured to handle the high voltage output safely.Here is a simple and effective circuit for driving florescent lamps from a 12 V supply. The circuit is nothing but consists of an oscillator, a MOSFET switch and a step-up transformer for driving the florescent lamp. The IC1 TLC 555 is wired as an astable multivibrator for producing the necessary oscillations. The MOSFET Q1 is used to amplify the os cillations produced by the IC1. The out put of MOSFET is connected to the primary of the step up transformer to produce a ~400 V AC for driving the florescent lamp. For T1, use a 10W, 230V to10V step down transformer in the inverted configuration. That is 10V winding must be connected to the MOSFET side and 240V winding must be connected to florescent lamp side.

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