A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load , the load control device comprising: a thyristor adapted to be electrically coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load , the thyristor comprising first and second main terminals through which a load current can be conducted to energize the electrical load and a gate terminal through which a gate current can be conducted to render the thyristor conductive; a gate current path connected to the gate terminal, the gate current path comprising a gate coupling circuit and configured to conduct current through the gate terminal of the thyristor ; and a control circuit electrically coupled to the gate coupling circuit to control the gate current path to conduct a pulse of the gate current through the gate terminal of the thyristor at a firing time during a half-cycle of the AC power source to render the thyristor conductive, the control circuit configured to turn on the electrical load with one of a plurality of start-up routines, wherein, in one of the plurality of start-up routines, the control circuit is configured to control the gate current path to conduct only one pulse of the gate current through the gate terminal of the thyristor during the half-cycle of the AC power source, wherein, in another one of the plurality of start-up routines, the control circuit is configured to control the gate current path to conduct at least another pulse of the gate current through the gate terminal of the thyristor after the firing time during the half-cycle of the AC power source, and wherein the control circuit is configured to perform a first one of the plurality of start-up routines to turn on the electrical load , detect a fault condition while turning on the electrical load using the first one of the plurality of start-up routines, and switch to a second one of the plurality of start-up routines to turn on the electrical load . a thyristor adapted to be electrically coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load , the thyristor comprising first and second main terminals through which a load current can be conducted to energize the electrical load and a gate terminal through which a gate current can be conducted to render the thyristor conductive; a gate current path connected to the gate terminal, the gate current path comprising a gate coupling circuit and configured to conduct current through the gate terminal of the thyristor ; and a control circuit electrically coupled to the gate coupling circuit to control the gate current path to conduct a pulse of the gate current through the gate terminal of the thyristor at a firing time during a half-cycle of the AC power source to render the thyristor conductive, the control circuit configured to turn on the electrical load with one of a plurality of start-up routines, wherein, in one of the plurality of start-up routines, the control circuit is configured to control the gate current path to conduct only one pulse of the gate current through the gate terminal of the thyristor during the half-cycle of the AC power source, wherein, in another one of the plurality of start-up routines, the control circuit is configured to control the gate current path to conduct at least another pulse of the gate current through the gate terminal of the thyristor after the firing time during the half-cycle of the AC power source, and wherein the control circuit is configured to perform a first one of the plurality of start-up routines to turn on the electrical load , detect a fault condition while turning on the electrical load using the first one of the plurality of start-up routines, and switch to a second one of the plurality of start-up routines to turn on the electrical load . <EOS>