Types Of Ballast For Fluorescent Lights

Ballast designs using different lamp starting strategies.

Types of ballast for fluorescent lights.

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. Typically the magnetic type of ballasts is used with fluorescent and neon lamps. For hids some metal halides and hps lamps. Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology.

Fluorescent lights use either an electronic or a magnetic ballast. There are two different break downs of fluorescent light fixture ballast types as we explain here. The magnetic ballast is capable of withstanding exposure to fluctuations and transients within an electric system along with temperature extremes. Ballasts have a wiring diagram to show how they connect to the lampholders.

Some older types have starters too. All fluorescent light fixtures consist of at least lamp s lamp holders ballast and internal wiring. Ballast factor and light output. An older magnetic ballast produced by advance transformer co used to support a 30 watt or 40 watt rapid start fluorescent lamp.

In time the ballast may need to be replaced. 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. There is no preheating of the electrodes for the. 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.

Commercial cfls use a separate ballast. A fluorescent fixture requires a ballast to send the proper amount of electricity to the fluorescent bulbs. For the fluorescent family both t12 linear fluorescents and two pin cfls use magnetic ballasts. The ballast is used to create the voltage and current necessary to start and illuminate the fluorescent lamp.

There are two lamp families that work with a ballast. Instant start electronic ballasts use a high starting voltage about 600 volts to start very quickly less than 0 1 seconds. And there are two types of ballasts in each family. Nowadays magnetic ballasts are a rather outdated technology that manufacturers are phasing out and so they re usually only found on older types of lights.

A quadrac type light dimmer can be used with a dimming ballast which maintains the heating current while allowing lamp current to be controlled. The low frequency electronic ballast is a variation of the magnetic one incorporating some electronic components.