Very interesting minimalist circuitry

It does, but I'm not sure that would be useful.

Big Clive

Same as many of the early fluorescent emergency lights. The first operation resulted in severe tube blackening, especially as the battery voltage fell and the cathodes got cooler and sputtered more.

Big Clive

That brings back memories of owning a battery operated 4W fluorescent lamp, which ran on 4xAAs. I never seen a unit mains powered until here. It required a new tube every 3rd to 4th time I recharged the AAs. It clearly ran the tube cold cathode as I remember the pin connectors on each end being a metal clip that bridged the pins, with a single wire going into the case. I later bought an 8W fluorescent (back ~2002) hoping it worked better. Nope, it lit the tube once and the next time I turned it on, it blinked, went out and gave off a burnt plastic smell, i.e. released the magic smoke internally. I got it exchanged and the replacement blew the tube by the time the batteries ran down and the same with the next tube. With the third tube, it blinked and self destructed like the first, i.e. stinking of burnt plastic. The final battery operated fluorescent I bought was in Lidl that ran on 2xAAs, around ~2005. The tube is a U shaped 3W. It does preheat, taking a few seconds to light. I used it for several years before eventually getting an LED light, but it never gave an issue and still have it in a drawer. The tube has no visible blackening.

Seán Byrne

Splendid! ...I mean sad emoticon. :(

Michael Thompson

Very european looking - or it could be the age. Who specifies a polyprop nowadays??

Mike Page

Oooh a Lampi…..I haven’t seen one of those in a long time. I used to sell these back in the late 90s at the hardware store I worked at in Surrey, BC. These were very small form factor for their time, but I never liked them as most of the fixtures didn’t always strike properly especially the smaller T5 style, so the displays tended not to work at least some of the time and returns were somewhat common and though they seemed to be built to a price, they charged a lot of money for them. About twice the cost of a larger traditional, reliable unit. Starter based fixture seemed a bit better, but not worth the price in my opinion. Just paying for a name and style.

Vaughn B.

Is this designed to fit in a UK shaver socket?