ok dumb ???

[ERIC1]

the ballast and the power invertor for the rear neon is the same item right?
a ballast is an invertor no? i heard someone call it by two names and i thought for a second that there were two items.
eric

 

[mach8]

not really, generally an inverter is a device used to convert DC current to a usable form of AC current (not the same as in your house, but it will do the job), while a ballast is basically a momentary step-up transformer / power limiter.

 

[ERIC1]

not really, generally an inverter is a device used to convert DC current to a usable form of AC current (not the same as in your house, but it will do the job), while a ballast is basically a momentary step-up transformer / power limiter.

ok but in the mark its only a ballast then right?

 

[mach8]

don't know, they need an inverter for AC current to power the neon lamp. I don't know of any that work off DC current. You need the ballast to get the neon lamp to start up and operate and a ballast/transformer doesn't do anything with DC current.

 

[ERIC1]

don't know, they need an inverter for AC current to power the neon lamp. I don't know of any that work off DC current. You need the ballast to get the neon lamp to start up and operate and a ballast/transformer doesn't do anything with DC current.

some how i think they are in the same unit.

 

[mach8]

could be they made it a combined unit. Cheaper to manufacture, more expensive to replace.

 

[ERIC1]

mmmmmmmmmmmmhmmmmmmmmmmmmm