Question on sizing inverter for cold-cathode fluorescent

[[email protected]]

A friend recently tore apart a cracked LCD panel, and gave me the CCFL
tubes from it. I wouldn't mind using them for something, but
unfortunately, he threw the rest of the unit away, so I need to find
another inverter for them. The tubes have no identifying marks on
them.

So: Is there a "rule of thumb" (such as volts/inch) to use in sizing
an inverter for these? I see units that go from 600 volts to 1500
volts, and while brighter is better, I'd rather not cut the lifespan
dramatically short.

steve