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I have seen this question but I can't seem to find a meaning for DB. What does DB mean?

Circuit from Plasma Lamp

DB DB Symbol

Circuit from Fluorescent Light bulb

Even my lucky light bulb has it! Light Bulb

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Sigma6RPU
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    Can you post a photo of where you found it? – ThreePhaseEel Aug 24 '16 at 00:01
  • @ThreePhaseEel Sure the circuit was originally attached to a plasma lamp. – Sigma6RPU Aug 24 '16 at 00:06
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    @Sigma6RPU I know that it is a little far-fetched but is there any case that is means decibel (dB) and it was just printed with all caps? – Adam Aug 24 '16 at 00:08
  • @Adam I thought the same thing but i saw it capitalized and thought it probably isn't. – Sigma6RPU Aug 24 '16 at 00:10
  • @Sigma6RPU That is why I find it a little far-fetched but now that I see that it is also numbered (DB3) then surely it is not decibel.Is it by any way a generic name that has a meaning in some form of manual that came along with the lamp? – Adam Aug 24 '16 at 00:12
  • @Adam I am gonna update the post because there is a symbol underneath the component. – Sigma6RPU Aug 24 '16 at 00:13
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    Any chance that it might be a bi-directional diac? – Dwayne Reid Aug 24 '16 at 00:15
  • @DwayneReid I think you might be right. – Sigma6RPU Aug 24 '16 at 00:25
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    The symbol is for a "Gunn Diode" apparently. The fact there seems to be no DB1 or DB2 indicate to me that the name is not necessarily an acronym for the name of the component but possibly something else that the designer had in mind. – Wesley Lee Aug 24 '16 at 00:27
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    a-ha (Dwayne was right): http://www.edaboard.co.uk/fluorescent-lamp-circuit-board-t152186.html – Wesley Lee Aug 24 '16 at 00:29
  • @WesleyLee So i have should have been searching it for my lucky light bulb the whole time?????? lol guess the light bulb didn't turn on that time. – Sigma6RPU Aug 24 '16 at 00:32

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Judging by the silkscreen symbol , it appears to be a BIdirectional Tranzorb or TVS which has bipolar Zener diode like properties useful for spike clipping.

DB = Diode Bidrectional vs unipolar.

A new REFDES invention it seems. (reference designator)

Tony Stewart EE75
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