Readers can skip to the conclusions.
The following is a long winded discussion of the myths surrounding switching off fluorescent lamps. There have been two very resilient energy myths that have dissuaded people from turning off fluorescent lamps. These myths are hard to dispel because inside each myth is a kernel of fact. I don t turn off fluorescent lights because the inrush energy when I turn the lights on is more than the energy I saved by turning them off. This inrush is 5 times greater than normal operating current for magnetic ballasts and can be as high as 40 times greater than normal operating current for electronic ballasts.