[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by bandersen

There are many discussion threads on this topic.

Here's one of mine where I installed a glass Amperite ballast
http://www.videokarma.org/showthread...=233337&page=4

another about using capacitors rather than resistors in the ballast
http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=249434

IIRC, the glass Amperite ballast, has some kind of an atmosphere in it. I don't remember what gas, could be nitrogen.
The true ballast tubes had an iron alloy wire, that had a higher resistance when cold. It would minimize surge, for longer tube life.
Nichrome wire can't do this, so you have to use a surge limiting resister in series.
My vote is for the capacitive-reactance voltage dropper. A bonus is no wattage losses and a cooler running power supply.