STARTING COIL FOR INDUCTION LIGHTING

Life of a starting conductor or coil in an induction lamp is significantly improved with the present disclosure. A mechanical support supports the starting coil adjacent the arc body of the lamp and has features that allow the starting coil to mount thereon. The mechanical support may be made of a high temperature material such as glass, quartz, or ceramic so that light from the lamp is not blocked. In another embodiment, the starting conductor is protected from oxidation by fully encasing the starting conductor within the high temperature material. In still another embodiment, a thin coating of a high temperature material that may or may not be light transmissive could be used as an alternative manner of support.