Lighting with Magnetic or Electronic Ballast

When using flourescent lighting you will need a ballast for starting and operating flourescent tubes. Flourescent tubes are unable to limit the flow of electrical current themselves. They need the ballast for a proper start and to limit electric currents to the tubes.

MAGNETIC BALLAST should be changed every two years according to the manufacturers. As the ballast reaches end of its life, it cylces are constantly trying to re-nite the fourescent tubes this causes premature lamp burn-out. They modulate electric current at a slow cycle rate causing a noticeable flicker in the lighting that some people can feel. Magnetic ballast may also vibrate at a low frequency, which can cause flickering or an irriating humming sound. If installing new ballast make sure it has the same rating as the old one.

ELECTRONIC BALLAST should be changed every five years twice as long as a magnectic ballast. Electronic ballast are half the weight of the magnetic ballast and operate 10 to 17 percent more efficiently and have a faster hot restrick and warm-up times. Many people are sensitive to the rapid flicker or the soft buzz of common flourescent fixtures. Electronic ballasts nearly eliminates this problem. They have three different start methods.

*INSTANT START is the most energy efficient type. They start the flourescent tubes without heating the end heaters first, but gives the lowest starts ups. They are best for fixtures that are not turned on and off very often.

*RAPID START supplies voltage and heats the filament instantly. Giving more cycle and lamp life to flourescents tubes. They use more energy for the end heaters to start.

*A more advanced version of a rapid start is PROGRAMMED START. This is when the filament powered, then it applies voltage to the flourescent tubes. Giving the most numbered starts. This is the best type of ballast to use with a low frequency power cylcle. Gives long lamp life, also works well with motion detector switches.

Electronic ballast operates without flickering or humming. Having an excellent performance system that is reliable and high quality. They offer greater flexibility in lighting designed having the same mounting and wiring as standard ballast, making them installer friendly with universal imput to insure you have the correct voltage ballast.

The new lower profiled bulbs make it easier to retro fit into T12, T5 and T8 fixtures. You are saving 50% more energy cost by installing a modern high efficiency ballst fixtures. State of the art electronic ballast operates without flickering or humming and have a rapid start alternative for frequent switching.

Dimming ballast have a safety protector that will sense the error so it will not harm installer or ballast. They have an end of lamp life shut down circuit to prevent nuisance cycling and ballast damage. Dimming ballast manufatured before 1999 do not have a low voltage circuit protection.

INSTALLATION

BALLAST Installation should only be preformed when power to the fixture is off or fixture is taken down to prevent possibility of accidents.

Polarity refers to the proper connection of lead wire to line wire of your ballast. Theses are color coded. The white ballast lead should be connected to a grounded neutral, the black wire, sometimes has a white tracer, lead always connected to the hot line wire.

There are some systems that ground wire are not connected to either of the line wires and require special designed ballast.

Excessive voltage to a ballast for extended period results in the deterioration of the fixture and cause ballast failure. Low voltage will have no damaging effects, but lamps might not start or have early lamp life lost.

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