Types Of Ballast For Fluorescent Lights

Ballast designs using different lamp starting strategies.

Types of ballast for fluorescent lights.

Nowadays magnetic ballasts are a rather outdated technology that manufacturers are phasing out and so they re usually only found on older types of lights. Ballasts have a wiring diagram to show how they connect to the lampholders. Lastly ballast factor is a measure of the total lumen output for a combined lamp ballast system. Ballast factor and light output.

Some older types have starters too. All fluorescent light fixtures consist of at least lamp s lamp holders ballast and internal wiring. There are four basic types of fluorescent ballasts. In time the ballast may need to be replaced.

A quadrac type light dimmer can be used with a dimming ballast which maintains the heating current while allowing lamp current to be controlled. Commercial cfls use a separate ballast. There are two lamp families that work with a ballast. The ballast is used to create the voltage and current necessary to start and illuminate the fluorescent lamp.

A fluorescent fixture requires a ballast to send the proper amount of electricity to the fluorescent bulbs. There is no preheating of the electrodes for the. Tube lights also known as linear light bulbs are frequently used in office buildings kitchens work spaces and commercial installations as well as homes with varying sizes and brightness levels this guide reviews the different types and configurations of tube lights both fluorescent and led so you can choose the best tube lights for your light fixtures and other lighting needs. The magnetic ballast is capable of withstanding exposure to fluctuations and transients within an electric system along with temperature extremes.

Fluorescent lights use either an electronic or a magnetic ballast. By selecting a ballast with an ideal ballast factor you can optimize the light output of your fluorescent lighting system and maximize your energy savings. The low frequency electronic ballast is a variation of the magnetic one incorporating some electronic components. For hids some metal halides and hps lamps.

There are two different break downs of fluorescent light fixture ballast types as we explain here. A resistor of about 10 kω is required to be connected in parallel with the fluorescent tube to allow reliable firing of the quadrac at low light levels. The ballast provides enough voltage to start the fluorescent bulbs and once they are. Instant start electronic ballasts use a high starting voltage about 600 volts to start very quickly less than 0 1 seconds.

Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology. And there are two types of ballasts in each family.