[Shop-talk] Fluorescent lights (I need help here)

[Randall]

> 12 to 24 hours.  It's particularly important with dimming 
> ballasts, because improper burn in leads to greatly reduced 
> lamp life.  Proper burn in increases lamp life, increases 
> output, and decreases warm up time.

Seems to be a lot of variation in recommendations.  Philips and GE claim at
least some of their bulbs don't require burn-in
http://goo.gl/pW84Z
http://goo.gl/mhqrI
While Osram suggests 100 hours, not just 12 to 24
http://goo.gl/3mYtq

But I couldn't find anything to suggest that light output rises after
burn-in; in fact it drops somewhat from "initial" lumens to "design" lumens.
It also applies only to bulbs that will be dimmed, which I doubt Inch is
planning to do.

Randall