Classes with sufficient luminous flux and at the same time economical, prompted, one might even say, some searching and testing of options. At first I used an ordinary small clothespin lamp, changed it to a small tabletop fluorescent lamp, then there was an 18-watt fluorescent lamp of a “ceiling-wall” version made in China. I liked the latter the most, but the mounting of the lamp itself in the fittings was somewhat underestimated, literally by two to three centimeters, but “for complete happiness” they were not enough. I found a way out by doing the same thing, but in my own way. Since the operation of the existing electronic ballast did not cause any complaints, it was logical to repeat the scheme.
Schematic diagram
This most The Chinese did not include this electronic ballast, choke and capacitor here.
Actually, a diagram faithfully copied from a printed circuit board. The rating of the electronic components that made it possible to do this was determined not only “by appearance,” but also using measurements, with preliminary desoldering of the components from the board. In the diagram, the resistor values are indicated in accordance with the color coding. Only with regard to the choke, I allowed myself not to unwind the existing one to determine the number of turns, but measured the resistance of the wound wire (1.5 Ohms with a diameter of 0.4 mm) - it worked.
First assembly on the circuit board. I carefully selected the component values, regardless of size and quantity, and was rewarded - the light bulb lit up the first time. Ferrite ring (10 x 6 x 4.5 mm) from an energy-saving light bulb, its magnetic permeability is unknown, the diameter of the wire of the coils wound on it is 0.3 mm (without insulation). The first start-up is mandatory through a 25 W incandescent light bulb. If it is on and the fluorescent one initially blinks and goes out, increase (gradually) the value of C4, when everything worked and nothing suspicious was found, and removed the incandescent lamp, then reduced its value to the original value.
To some extent, focusing on the printed circuit board of the original source, I drew a signet for the existing suitable case and electronic components.
I etched the scarf and assembled the diagram. I was already looking forward to the moment when I would be satisfied with myself and glad to be. But the circuit assembled on a printed circuit board refused to work. I had to delve into and select resistors and capacitors. At the time of installation of the electronic ballast at the site of operation, C4 had a capacity of 3n5, C5 - 7n5, R4 resistance of 6 Ohms, R5 - 8 Ohms, R7 - 13 Ohms.
The lamp “fit” not only into the design; the lamp, raised all the way up, made it possible to comfortably use the shelf inside the secretary niche. Babay made the “room” feel comfortable.
Despite the widespread use of LED chandeliers and lamps, fluorescent lamps are not losing ground. But such a lamp cannot simply be connected to a 220V network. To work she needs additional device- ballast, or ballast - ballast.
Why do you need a ballast in a lamp?
A fluorescent lamp is a sealed glass tube. Inside it are inert gas and a small amount of mercury vapor. At the ends of the tube there are filaments made of tungsten spirals. Their heating causes the emission of electrons and facilitates the appearance of a glow discharge inside the tube.
The light that appears in this case is pale blue, with a lot of ultraviolet light, so the inner walls of the tube are covered with a layer of phosphor that re-emit ultraviolet light into visible light.
Interesting. Bulbs without phosphor are used in hospitals for quartzing wards and for tanning.
Turning on fluorescent lamps
There are three main types of LDS starting devices.
Using starter and throttle
With this switching circuit, the filaments are connected in series with the starter and ballast. Another name for an electromagnetic ballast is a choke. This is an inductor that limits the current through the lamp.
When the lamp is turned on, the starter connects the tungsten spirals in series with the choke. When they are heated, electrons are emitted, which facilitates the appearance of a discharge between the electrodes. Periodically, the starter breaks the circuit and if the light bulb starts up at this time, the voltage between the electrodes drops and it no longer turns on. If the discharge does not occur, the starter closes the circuit again and the ignition process is repeated.
Disadvantages of this scheme:
- long startup time, especially in winter in unheated rooms;
- the throttle hums during operation;
- the light flickers at a frequency of 100Hz, which is invisible to the eye, but can cause headaches.
Interesting. To reduce flicker in luminaires consisting of two lamps, one of them is switched on through a capacitor. At the same time, the light fluctuations in them do not coincide, which has a beneficial effect on the illumination in the room.
To operate such lamps, homemade voltage multipliers were previously used. The role of a current-limiting ballast in this circuit is played by capacitors C3 and C4, and C1 and C2 create the high voltage necessary for the discharge to appear inside the discharge tube.
A high-voltage discharge ignites the LDS immediately, but the flickering of such a lamp is stronger than in a circuit with a starter and choke.
Interesting. The voltage multiplier allows you to use flasks with burnt-out tungsten coils.
Electronic ballast (EPG)
An electronic ballast for fluorescent lamps is a voltage converter that ignites and powers the lamp during operation. There are many options for implementing such devices, but they are assembled according to one block diagram. Some designs add brightness control.
Lamps with electronic ballasts are launched in two ways:
- Before turning on, the filaments heat up, which is why the start is delayed by 1-2 seconds. The brightness of the light can increase gradually or immediately turn on at full power;
- The lamp is ignited using an oscillating circuit that resonates with the bulb. In this case, there is a gradual increase in voltage and heating of the filaments.
Such devices have a number of advantages:
- The lamp is powered by high frequency voltage, which eliminates flickering of light;
- compactness, which allows reducing the dimensions of the lamp;
- fast but smooth switching on, extending the life of the lamp;
- absence of noise and heating during operation;
- high efficiency – up to 95%;
- built-in short circuit protection.
Electronic ballasts are manufactured for 1, 2 or 4 lamps.
Design of electromagnetic ballasts
Electronic ballast circuits different manufacturers differ from each other, but are built on the same principle.
The board consists of the following elements:
- a filter that protects the circuit from interference created by other equipment;
- a rectifier that converts alternating mains voltage into direct voltage, necessary for the operation of the circuit;
- a filter that smoothes out voltage ripples after the rectifier;
- an inverter that powers the board elements;
- the electronic ballast itself.
The board has three pairs of pins or terminals: one for connecting 220V and two for filaments.
Operating principle of electronic ballast
Conventionally, the process of ignition and operation of a fluorescent lamp is divided into three stages:
- Warming up the filaments. This is necessary for the emission of free electrons to occur, facilitating the appearance of a discharge inside the flask;
- Appearance of a discharge between the electrodes. This is done using a high voltage pulse;
- Stabilization of the glow discharge and further operation of the lamp.
This sequence provides a smooth start, increasing lamp life and stable operation at low temperatures.
Schematic diagram of electronic ballast
The following figure shows one of the common circuit diagrams of electronic ballasts.
The order of its operation is as follows:
- The diode bridge converts 220V AC network voltage into pulsating DC voltage. Capacitor C2 smoothes out ripples;
- DC voltage is supplied to a push-pull half-bridge inverter. It is assembled on two npn transistor, which are high frequency generators;
- The RF control signal is supplied in antiphase to the windings W1 and W2 of the transformer. This is a three-winding transformer L1, wound on a ferrite magnetic core;
- Winding W3 supplies a high resonant voltage to the filament. It creates a current sufficient to heat the coils and cause electron emission;
- Capacitor C4 is connected in parallel to the flask. When the voltage resonates, a high voltage appears across it, sufficient to cause a discharge to appear inside the tube;
- The resulting arc short-circuits the capacitance and stops the voltage resonance. Further operation is ensured by current-limiting elements L2 and C3.
Repair and replacement of electronic ballasts
There are two types of lamp malfunctions: a burnt-out lamp and a faulty unit. The light bulb must be replaced, and a faulty electronic ballast can be repaired or replaced with a new one.
Electronic ballast repair
In order to repair fluorescent lamps and troubleshoot electronic ballasts, you need basic skills in repairing electronic equipment:
- Check and replace the fuse. Some models use a 1-5 Ohm resistor for this. Instead, a piece of thin wire is soldered;
- A visual inspection and testing of board elements with a tester are carried out;
- Estimate the cost of faulty parts. Provided that it is lower than the price of a new electronic ballast, repair the electronic ballast.
Replacing electronic ballasts
The faulty electronic throttle is replaced with a new one. This could be a finished circuit board or a circuit made from a burnt-out energy-saving light bulb. Using such a board, you can repair lamps with fluorescent lamps or make a fluorescent lamp yourself.
The operating principle and startup of a compact fluorescent lamp is similar to conventional tubular LDS. The board that is inside it controls a regular fluorescent lamp without any problems.
Important! The power of an energy-saving lamp must be equal to or greater than the power of a fluorescent lamp.
How to check the CFL board:
- Disassemble the plastic housing. It consists of two halves connected by latches. A knife is inserted into the gap and drawn in a circle;
- On the board there are four pins with wound wires, arranged in pairs. These are filaments. They are called by the tester;
- If the threads are intact, then there is a breakdown in the board. The wires are unwound and the bulb is disconnected for use with a board from another CFL;
- If one of the filaments is broken, the board is disconnected and connected instead of the burnt-out electronic ballast into a fluorescent lamp. When installing, it must be isolated from the metal body and secured with a glue gun or silicone sealant.
Important! Repair of fluorescent lamps is carried out with the voltage turned off.
The use of electronic ballasts in fluorescent lamps increases their service life and makes the lighting more pleasant. This is an alternative to replacing such lamps with CFLs.
Video
Content:
Lighting in large rooms increasingly carried out using tubular fluorescent lamps. They can significantly save energy and illuminate the space with diffused light. However, their service life largely depends on the normal operation of all components. Among them great value has a fluorescent lamp ballast circuit that ensures ignition and maintains normal operating mode.
Ballast for fluorescent lamps
Most traditional 50 Hz designs use magnetic ballasts for power supply. High voltage is generated through the reactor when the bimetallic key opens. A current flows through it, providing heating of the electrodes when the contacts are closed.
These starting devices have a number of serious disadvantages that do not allow fluorescent lamps to fully use their resource when lighting rooms. It creates flickering light, increased noise levels, and unstable light during voltage surges.
All these shortcomings are eliminated by using electronic ballasts (), called electronic ballast. Using a ballast allows you to light the lamp almost instantly without noise or flicker. The high frequency range makes the lighting more comfortable and stable. Completely neutralized negative impact network voltage fluctuations. All flashing and flashing faulty lamps are switched off using the monitoring system.
All electronic ballasts have a relatively high cost. However, in the future, there is a visible compensation of initial costs. With the same quality luminous flux, energy consumption is reduced by an average of 20%. The light output of a fluorescent lamp is increased due to the higher frequency and increased efficiency of electronic ballasts compared to electromagnetic devices. A gentle start-up and operation mode using ballast allows you to increase the life of the lamps by 50%.
Operating costs are significantly reduced as starters do not need to be replaced and the number of starters is also reduced. By using a lighting control system, additional energy savings of up to 80% can be achieved.
Typical ballast circuit
The electronic ballast design uses an active power factor correction, ensuring compatibility with the electrical network. The basis of the corrector is a powerful boost pulse converter controlled by a special integrated circuit. This provides rated operation with a power factor close to 0.98. The high value of this coefficient is maintained in any operating mode. Voltage changes are allowed in the range of 220 volts + 15%. The corrector ensures stable illumination even with significant changes in network voltage. To stabilize it, an intermediate is used.
Important role plays a network filter, smoothing out high-frequency ripples of the supply current. Together with the corrector, this device strictly regulates all components of the consumed current. The line filter input is equipped with a protective unit with a varistor and a fuse. This allows you to effectively eliminate network overvoltages. A thermistor having a negative temperature coefficient of resistance is connected in series with the fuse, which ensures that the input current surge is limited when the electronic ballast is connected from the inverter to the network.
In addition to the main elements, the ballast circuit for fluorescent lamps requires the presence of a special protection unit. With its help, the status of the lamps is monitored, as well as their shutdown in case of malfunction or absence. This device monitors the current consumed by the inverter and the voltage supplied to each lamp. If during a certain period of time the specified voltage or current level exceeds the set value, then the protection is triggered. The same thing happens during a load circuit break.
The executive element of the protective unit is a thyristor. Its open state is maintained by current passing through a resistor installed in the ballast. The value of the ballast resistance allows the thyristor current to maintain the on state until the supply voltage is removed from the electronic ballast.
The electronic ballast control unit is powered through a mains rectifier when current passes through the ballast resistor. Reducing the power of the electronic ballast and improving its efficiency allows the use of smoothing circuit current. This circuit connects to the point where the inverter transistors connect. Thus, the control system is powered. The construction of the circuit ensures that the control system is launched at the initial stage, after which the power circuit is started with a slight delay.
Fluorescent lamps at one time made a real revolution in lighting, since their light output is several times greater than that of conventional incandescent lamps. For example, one fluorescent lamp (this is another name for fluorescent lamps) with a power of 20 W produces a luminous flux that is only available to a 100 W incandescent lamp. If an incandescent lamp can simply be connected to a network using only a switch socket and wires, then a fluorescent lamp, like a “capricious lady,” must be created with special “comfortable conditions.” It must first be prepared for launch, then launched, and after it lights up, constantly monitor its “well-being.” This is done by ballasts (ballasts). The most modern and efficient ballast is electronic ballast (EPG), which is commonly called electronic ballast.
The word “ballast” in the name of this device may cause a certain dissonance in some readers, since one of its meanings is a useless load that has to be carried. However, ballast is not always useless, and sometimes even necessary. For example, without ballast, any ship would not have the necessary landing and stability, and airships and balloons cannot adjust their flight altitude. By the way, linguists attribute the origin of the word “ballast” to the Dutch, a nation of sailors and shipbuilders. Therefore, we propose to perceive the concept of electronic ballast in a purely positive way, as something that is really necessary.
Conditions required for starting and burning a fluorescent lamp
Let us briefly consider the structure of the lamp and find out what processes occur in it.
Fluorescent lamps can be of various shapes, but the most common are linear, which have the form of an elongated sealed cylinder made of thin glass. The air from inside is pumped out, but inert gases and mercury vapor are pumped in. The mixture of gases in the lamp is under reduced pressure (approximately 400 Pa).
At one and the other end of the lamp there is an electrode (cathode) of a complex design. Each cathode has two pin connectors on the outside, and a tungsten spiral with a special emissive coating is placed between them inside. If a voltage of 220 V is applied to the opposite cathodes, then nothing will happen in the lamp, since the rarefied gas simply does not conduct electric current. It is known that for electric current to flow, two conditions are necessary:
- The presence of free charged particles (electrons and ions).
- Presence of an electric field.
When we apply an alternating voltage of 220 V to the cathodes, then electric field everything will be fine in the flask, since it exists in any environment, even in a vacuum. But the main “difficulty” is the presence of free charged particles. The gas in the flask is neutral and does not react in any way to changes in the field. There are two ways to obtain a glow gas discharge:
- The first method is that a very high voltage is immediately applied to the cathodes of the lamp, which forcibly “pulls out” electrons from the cathodes and “breaks through” the gas in the lamp, which causes its ionization and the appearance of a discharge. This type of start is called “cold”; it allows the lamps to start very quickly. Moreover, this method can make those lamps glow that no longer work in standard lamps due to burnt-out cathode spirals (one or even two).
- The second method involves smoothly heating the coils, which causes electron emission (the appearance of free charges), and then raising the voltage at the cathodes to a threshold until a discharge occurs in the lamp. Free electrons are accelerated and ionize the gas inside the lamp bulb.
The second method of lighting lamps is preferable, since this increases their service life significantly. The quick cold start method is very popular among radio amateurs who make, in their words, “devices that revive dead lamps.” This, of course, is a very interesting experimental field for those who like to sit with a soldering iron, but from the point of view of economic feasibility, such an activity may seem very strange to an ordinary person when the price of a new lamp is a maximum of 100 rubles and a service life of 12,000 hours. Isn’t it better to ensure a smooth start and long service life for a new lamp, instead of “resurrecting” those that require disposal? If a cold start is applied to new lamps, then their cathodes from the “shock” effect of increased voltage will very quickly become unsuitable for operation in normal lamps.
After a glow discharge occurs in the lamp, its resistance will drop sharply, and if this issue is left uncontrolled, the current will increase so much that a real high-temperature plasma electric arc will ignite in the lamp, which will lead to rapid failure of the lamp, which can be and with unpleasant consequences. Therefore, after lighting the lamp, the ballasts must also limit the flowing current, keeping it such that a glow discharge occurs.
There is an article on our portal that describes in detail all the processes occurring in a fluorescent lamp both during start and during combustion. The article also describes how to properly connect lamps using electromagnetic ballast (EMB). We read: "".
Based on the foregoing, it can be noted what functions the ballast should perform:
- Smooth heating of the filaments of the lamp cathodes, initiating thermionic emission.
- Initiating the appearance of a glow discharge by increasing the voltage at the cathodes.
- After the discharge appears, the filament is turned off, the lamp current is limited and the combustion process is maintained even with an unstable mains voltage.
In principle, electromagnetic ballasts perform the same functions, but they are very sensitive to mains voltage and ambient temperature.
Electronic ballast device for fluorescent lamps
An electronic ballast (EPG) is a complex electronic device, the operation of which not everyone can understand in principle. Therefore, we will first show the block diagram, explain the purpose of all the elements, and then briefly consider the principle one.
The electronic ballast must be present at the input EMI filter whose task is to suppress electromagnetic interference that is generated in the electronic ballast. If there is no filter, the interference may disrupt the operation of nearby electronic devices. In addition, high-frequency interference can “leak” into the power grid from electronic ballasts. Some manufacturers from the country with the largest population do not solder elements related to the filter on the printed circuit board, although places are provided for them. Such “scam” is difficult to notice, since the electronic ballast will work. Only an “opening” and examination by a specialist will help to find out whether there is a filter in the electronic ballast or not? Therefore, it is worth choosing electronic ballasts only from well-known manufacturers.
After the noise filter comes rectifier , assembled using a conventional diode bridge circuit. To power the lamp, a mains frequency of 50 Hz does not suit us, as it causes the lamp to flicker and the noise of the chokes to be clearly audible. To prevent these unpleasant things from happening, a high frequency voltage of 35-40 kHz is generated in the electronic ballasts. But in order to be able to obtain it, it is necessary to have “raw materials” in the form of constant voltage. It makes it easier to make various transformations.
Power factor correction circuit needed in order to reduce the influence of reactive power. Electronic ballasts have an inductive load, therefore, the current lags behind the voltage by a certain angle φ. Power factor is nothing more than cosφ. If there is no phase lag, then the load is active, the current and voltage are completely in phase and therefore φ = 0°. This means cosφ=1. Power is calculated by the formula P=I*U* cosφ (I is the current in Amperes, and U is the voltage in Volts). The greater the current phase lag, the lower the power factor cosφ will be and the less useful active power will be and the more reactive power, which is useless, will be. In order to correct the current lag, the correction circuit uses capacitors whose capacitance is precisely calculated. As a result, cosφ can reach a value of 0.95 in good electronic ballasts. That's quite a lot!
One of the best explanations of reactive power (Q is exactly that)
Filter DC designed to smooth out ripples that are invariably present after rectification with a diode bridge. The result is a constant voltage of 260-270 V, which is not entirely ideal, since small ripples are still present, but absolutely sufficient for further conversion. A DC filter is most often a large-capacity electrolytic capacitor that is connected in parallel. Graphs of voltage versus time are shown in the figure.
Next, constant voltage is supplied to the most complex part of the electronic ballast - inverter . It is here that the direct voltage is converted into high-frequency alternating voltage. Most electronic ballasts are assembled using a half-bridge circuit, a generalized view of which is shown in the following figure.
Between the input terminals from the rectifier and the filter, a constant voltage of approximately 300 V is supplied to the inverter. The diagram shows the lower terminal of 300 V. One of the main elements are the keys K1 and K2, which are controlled from the logical control unit CU. When one key is closed, the other is open; they cannot be in the same state. For example, the control unit sent a command to close K1 and open K2. Then the current will flow along the following path: the upper input terminal, Key K1, inductor, filament of one cathode of the lamp, capacitor (parallel to the lamp), protection unit, capacitor C2 and the negative lower terminal. Then key K2 closes, and K1 opens and the current flows along the following path (from plus to minus): upper terminal, capacitor C1, protection unit, spiral of one cathode of the lamp, capacitor (parallel to the lamp), spiral of the other cathode of the lamp, inductor, key K2 and bottom terminal. Key switching occurs at a frequency of approximately 40 kHz, that is, 40,000 times per second.
Electric current flowing along such trajectories causes heating of the lamp spirals and thermionic emission at the cathodes. The capacitance of the capacitor connected in parallel with the lamp is selected such that the frequency of the oscillatory circuit formed together with the inductor coincides with the switching frequency of the keys. This causes resonance and an increased voltage appears at the cathodes of the lamp - about 600 V, which at this frequency is quite enough for the lamp to light up. After this has happened, the resistance of the lamp decreases sharply and current no longer flows through the capacitor and cathode spirals. The lamp bypasses the capacitor. The keys continue to work, but a lower voltage is already supplied to the lamp, since there is no resonance. The choke limits the current in the lamp, and the protection unit monitors all parameters. If there is no lamp in the lamp or it turns out to be faulty, the protection unit will stop the generation of alternating voltage by switches K1 and K2, since the inverters fail without load.
Feedback And brightness control Not found in all electronic ballasts, but only in the best ones. The purpose of feedback is to monitor the state of the load and respond to it. For example, an attempt was made to start the electronic ballast without a lamp. Pulse blocks This causes the power supply to fail, but if there is feedback, the inverter will simply not be given a start command. Feedback also allows you to change the inverter generation frequency. When the lamp starts, it can be 50 kHz, and after that it drops to 38-40 kHz.
All electronic ballasts operate approximately according to this algorithm. High-voltage bipolar transistors are used as switches. The best inverters use field-effect transistors, also called MOSFETs. They have best characteristics, but their price is significantly higher. Let's imagine a typical circuit diagram of a simple electronic ballast.
We will not analyze in detail the operation of this scheme, realizing that most readers will not understand. Let's just draw an analogy with the previous diagram. The role of switches K1 and K2 is performed by transistors T1 and T2. The switching frequency is determined by symmetrical dinistor DB3, capacitor C2 and resistor R1. When a voltage of 220 V is applied to the input of the device, after rectification it begins to charge capacitor C2. The charging rate is determined by resistor R1; the greater its resistance, the longer it will take to charge the capacitor. As soon as the voltage on the capacitor exceeds the opening threshold of the dinistor (approximately 30 V), it opens and supplies a pulse to the base of transistor T2. It opens and current begins to flow through it. As soon as capacitor C2 is discharged and the voltage across it drops below 30 V, the dinistor will close, and so will transistor T2, but transistor T1 will open, since its base is connected to the transformer TU38Q2, which coordinates the synchronous operation of the switches and the load. If one transistor is open, the other will be closed. As soon as the transistor closes, the self-inductive emf that appears in the winding of another transistor opens it. This is how self-generation of alternating voltage occurs in the inverter.
In addition to MOSFET transistors, the best modern models of electronic ballasts also use integrated circuits (ICs), which are specifically designed to control lamps. Their use reduces the dimensions of the device and greatly increases its functionality. Let's give an example of an electronic ballast circuit with an IC.
The main part of this electronic ballast is the UBA2021 integrated circuit, which is “responsible” for absolutely all processes occurring in the lamp and electronic ballast. Lamps that will work with such electronic ballasts with such an IC will last a very long time.
Video: Electronic ballast
Advantages and disadvantages of electronic ballast
Currently, the production volume of electronic ballasts has already exceeded the production of electromagnetic ballasts. And the further trend is clearly indicated - electronic devices will replace electromagnetic ones. It is already almost impossible to find luminaires with classic chokes and starters on sale, and during repairs they often give preference to electronic ballasts. Let's figure out what their advantages are?
- The lamp with electronic ballasts is started according to a correct and gentle algorithm, but nevertheless very quickly - no more than 1 second.
- The frequency generated by electronic ballasts is 38-50 kHz, so fluorescent lamps do not have flicker, which tires the eyes, and there is also no stroboscopic effect characteristic of electromagnetic ballasts.
- The service life of lamps operating with electronic ballasts is doubled.
- When a fluorescent lamp burns out, a high-quality electronic ballast immediately stops generating alternating voltage, which affects economy and safety.
- The use of electronic ballasts eliminates the cold start of fluorescent lamps, and this prevents erosion of the cathodes.
- Electronic ballasts operate absolutely silently, so only electronic ballasts should be used in residential areas, hospitals and school classrooms.
- It is very easy to connect electronic ballasts, since they always have a very clear diagram that even those who have never done anything electrical in their life can understand.
- Electronic ballasts do not heat up as much during operation as electromagnetic ballasts. This saves energy. Savings are approximately 30%.
- The power factor (cosφ) of good electronic ballasts can reach 0.98. For this type of load, this is a very good indicator.
- High-quality electronic ballasts can operate at reduced or increased network voltage (160-260 V).
- Electronic ballasts have higher efficiency than electromagnetic ones. It can reach 95%.
- Electronic ballasts do not require starters or capacitors to operate; everything necessary for starting and operating the lamps is already provided in the circuit.
- Compared to electronic ballasts, electronic ballasts have comparable dimensions, but much less weight.
With such an impressive list of advantages, we can only talk about two disadvantages. This is a higher price and a greater probability of failure than with electric ballasts due to power surges in the network. True, the last drawback applies only to those electronic ballasts that are low in both quality and price.
How to choose a quality electronic ballast
Electronic ballasts are accustomed to being perceived as separate blocks - boxes rectangular shape, which have terminals or connectors for connecting lamps and mains voltage. but do not forget that there are electronic ballasts in every compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) or as they like to be called - energy saving lamp. Lamp designers manage to place the entire electronic ballast circuit on a round circuit board, which is somehow “stuffed” into the housing between the luminous part and the base. Of course, in such cramped conditions these ballasts have a hard time. The problem of heat removal from the electronic ballast board is very serious, which each manufacturer solves differently. More precisely, we can say that while some decide, others do not decide at all.
Naturally, no one will be able to check what is in the lamp body before purchasing, but the type of board itself and the presence of certain elements on it can tell a specialist a lot. Some manufacturers, taking advantage of the secrecy of electronic ballasts in CFLs, want to save on some elements, which affects the operation of the lamp and its service life. It turns out that buying a CFL is essentially identical to buying a “pig in a poke”? Unfortunately, this is true in most cases. Well-known world brands, of course, “sin” less with this, but there are many fakes, so it’s worth finding a seller who receives official supplies from the manufacturer.
There is a way to judge the quality of electronic ballasts in CFLs. It is not objective, but subjective; nevertheless, it has been used for a long time and has already proven its worth. What is it?
In good CFLs, the lamp starts up smoothly; an increased voltage is supplied to the cathodes to ignite the glow discharge only after warming up. These processes take some time, so when you turn on a good lamp, there is always a pause between turning it on and igniting it. It's small, but noticeable. If the lamp lights up cold, then high voltage is applied immediately and this causes instant breakdown and ignition. If the pause after switching on is not felt, then with a high degree of probability we can say that the electronic ballast is “simplified” and it is better not to purchase such a lamp. Some manufacturers “improve” the electronic ballast circuit, “throwing out” from their point of view “extra” parts.
When purchasing an electronic ballast in the form of a separate unit, first of all you need to find out which lamps it is intended for. All linear fluorescent lamps are available with different tube diameters: T4 - 12.7 mm, T5 - 15.9 mm and T8 - 25.4 mm. T4 and T5 lamps have a G5 base (5mm pin spacing) and T8 lamps have a G13 base (13mm pin spacing). Its power depends on the size of the fluorescent lamp: the longer it is, the greater the power:
- A lamp with a length of 450 mm corresponds to a power of 15 W;
- Lamp 600mm long, which are widely used in suspended ceilings Armstrong type, corresponding to a power of 18-20 W;
- Lamp 900 mm long – 30 W
- Lamp 1200 mm long – 36 W;
- And a lamp with a length of 1500 mm corresponds to a power of 58 W or 70 W.
It is very easy to find out whether an electronic ballast corresponds to a luminaire intended for a certain type of lamp, since all the necessary information is already included in the electronic ballast labeling. Let's look at a specific example and find out what these or those numbers and symbols mean. IN general view The marking of a sample electronic ballast looks like this.
"Let's decipher" general information about the device, which is located on the left side of the electronic ballast.
This electronic ballast model is manufactured by the Vossloh-Schwabe Group, whose headquarters are in Germany. However, the Vossloh-Schwabe Group is part of the Japanese Panasonic Electric Works group. The products of this manufacturer are distinguished by their impeccable quality and reliability. And also from the markings it is clear that this electronic ballast is designed to work with T8 lamps, produced in Serbia, where the Vossloh-Schwabe Group has a branch. Let's also consider what is important in labeling.
The mains voltage input 220 V 50 Hz is indicated on the housing so you can understand where the terminals are located. The polarity is not indicated, which means that phase and zero can be connected to this electronic ballast arbitrarily. The ground wire must be connected to the housing; for this there must be a special screw on it. We move closer to the center of the electronic ballast and look at the symbols.
It’s nice that on the body of this electronic ballast there is information about the wire that can be used for switching, its cross-sectional area and how long to remove the insulation so that it fits well in the terminals.
The EEI energy efficiency index is an assessment of how much input power is used to receive light from the lamp. The efficiency index is calculated, which is determined by the ratio of the lamp power to the input power Pl/Pin, and then according to Table 6.3, located on page 61 in the document, the link to which is below, the compliance of the electronic ballast with the energy efficiency index is determined.
In Europe, there is a certain set of rules and regulations that all devices and materials used must comply with. Just as in Russia there are SNiPs, PUE, SanPin, so “over the hill” neighbors have rules that are designated by the letters EN and a digital code. It is not without reason that this list is included in the labeling, since when any facility is put into operation, documentary evidence of the justification for the use of a particular device is required.
The main characteristics of this electronic ballast are printed directly on the body in the form of a table:
All information presented in the table is as accurate and concise as possible, requiring no explanation except the position of the tc point, where the maximum temperature in this electronic ballast should not exceed 60°C. This point is marked on the ballast body (to the right of the top of the table); it is located exactly at the location of the transistor switches - the hottest parts of the electronic ballast.
If you don’t have an electronic ballast at your disposal, but have a lamp with a known type of lamp used in it, then you can select electronic ballasts from manufacturers’ catalogs, which are easy to find on the Internet. Here is an excerpt from the catalog of electromagnetic chokes from the Helvar company from Finland, whose products are high-quality and reliable. For example, let's take electronic ballasts for T8 lamps from the EL-ngn series. These electronic ballasts are characterized by: energy efficiency, “warm” start of fluorescent lamps, no flicker, good electromagnetic compatibility, low interference, minimal losses and stable operating modes.
Electronic ballasts for T8 fluorescent lamps Helvar EL-ngn |
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| Pl*Number of lamps | Ballast model | EEI | Dimensions, L*W*H, mm | Weight, g | Power Circuits, W | Circuit current, A | P per lamp, W | Price, rub |
| 14*1 | EL1x15ngn | A2 | 190*30*21 | 120 | 15 | 0,09-0,07 | 13 | 415 |
| 15*1 | EL1x15ngn | A2 | 190*30*21 | 120 | 15.5 | 0,09-0,07 | 13.5 | 415 |
| 18*1 | EL1x18ngn | A2 | 280*30*28 | 190 | 19 | 0,09-0,08 | 16 | 594 |
| 18*2 | EL2x18ngn | A2 BAT | 280*30*28 | 200 | 37 | 0,16-0,15 | 16 | 626 |
| 18*4 | EL4x18ngn | A2 BAT | 280*30*28 | 200 | 72 | 0,33-0,30 | 16 | 680 |
| 30*1 | EL2x30ngn | A2 BAT | 190*30*21 | 120 | 26.5 | 0,14-0,11 | 24 | 626 |
| 36*1 | EL1*36ngn | A2 | 280*30*28 | 191 | 36 | 0,16-0,15 | 32 | 594 |
| 36*2 | EL2x36ngn | A2 BAT | 280*30*28 | 205 | 71 | 0,32-0,29 | 32 | 626 |
| 58*1 | EL1x58ngn | A2 | 280*30*28 | 193 | 55 | 0,26-0,23 | 50 | 594 |
| 58*2 | EL2x58ngn | A2 BAT | 280*30*28 | 218 | 108 | 0,50-0,45 | 50 | 626 |
In addition to what is shown in the table, electronic ballasts of the Helvar EL-ngn series still have characteristics common to all. We list them in the following table.
| Characteristic | Indicator |
|---|---|
| Maximum temperature of the “tc” point, °C | 75 |
| Maximum ambient temperature, °C | -20…+50 |
| Storage temperature, °C | -40…+80 |
| Maximum permissible humidity | No condensation |
| Minimum number of lamp starts | >50 000 |
| AC voltage, V | 198-264 |
| Constant voltage (for start >190 V) | 176-280 |
| Maximum overvoltage, V | 320 V, 1 hour |
| Power factor (λ, cosφ) | 0,98 |
| Ground leakage current, mA | |
| Maximum output voltage, V | 350 |
| Lifetime (up to 10% failure rate) | 50,000 hour at tc |
| Maximum length of wires to the lamp | 1.5v |
| Lamp warm-up time, sec |
In addition to these ballasts, the characteristics of which we have shown in the table, Helvar’s assortment includes many more models of electronic ballasts that are designed for other types of lamps. Linear ones are T5 and T5-eco, and compact ones are: TC-L, TC-F, TC-DD, TC-SE, PL-R, TC-TE. We did brief overview classic electronic ballasts for T8 lamps, but Helvar also has 1-10 V electronic ballasts controlled by an analog signal, which can change their brightness and are controlled with just one button to turn on and off, as well as to change the brightness of fluorescent lamps.
And also this manufacturer has fully digital iDIM ballasts, which can have external bus control (DALI) and manual control from just one button (Switch-Control). You can view the entire range of electronic ballasts in the Helvar catalog, which can be opened at the following link. Catalog at English, prices are not indicated.
All good manufacturers have similar albums with all the technical information about electronic ballasts on their official websites. Readers may have a question - which electronic ballasts can be considered good? We would recommend first of all paying attention to the following brands: Helvar, Vossloh-Schwabe, Tridonic, Osram, Philips, Sylvania.
Procedure for replacing the electromagnetic throttle and starter with electronic ballast
All new lamps with fluorescent lamps are equipped with electronic ballasts by default, and if they fail, replacement is very simple: one unit is “thrown out” and another is put in its place. If there were “classics” - electromagnetic ballast and starters, then it is better to change them to electronic ballast. In this case, the lamp must undergo some simple modernization. Let's consider this process in detail.
The tools you will need are a set of screwdrivers, a knife, wire cutters, an insulation stripper (optional) and a multimeter. You may also need a PV-1 mounting wire with a cross-sectional area from 0.5 to 1.5 mm², of which there are 4 types in this range: 0.5 mm², 0.75 mm², 1 mm² and 1.5 mm². If an aluminum wire was used in the lamp, then it is better to immediately change it to copper.
It happens that they are used in lamps, but with copper plating. When clearing, an illusion arises copper wire, and the cut wire is white. It is better to get rid of such “hybrids” immediately.
| Image | Process Description |
|---|---|
 | The lamp will be upgraded to 4 T8 18 W lamps. It contains 2 electromagnetic chokes, 2 capacitors and 4 starters. |
 | Instead, OSRAM QTZ8 4X18/220-240 VS20 electronic ballasts will be installed, which does not require either starters or capacitors. |
 | The lamp is turned off, then the indicator screwdriver is used to check the lack of phase on the input terminal and on the housing, the input wires are disconnected, the lamp is dismantled and placed on the table for ease of working with it. |
 | The front panel is removed from the lamp and all fluorescent lamps are removed. |
 | From my own seat The input screw terminal is removed and all wires are removed from it. |
 | Electromagnetic chokes and capacitors are dismantled. |
 | The starter socket is removed. This is done very simply, as it is attached to the lamp body with plastic latches. |
 | The wires going to the starter are cut off near it. The same operations are performed with all starters. |
 | The location of the electronic ballast is selected. It is better if it is on the edge of the lamp, so that all the wires leading to the ballast can be routed near the sides, so they will be less noticeable. Then, according to the connection diagram shown on the electronic ballast housing, the position of each lamp is “assigned”. Those on the left in the diagram in the lamp will be in the center, and those on the right will be on the edges. |
 | Each fluorescent lamp socket has terminals with two pairs of spring contacts. Each pair is connected to one of the T8 lamp pin sockets with a G13 base. This is very convenient, since in order to make a branch you do not need to solder or twist anything. The wire stripped to 9 mm is simply inserted into the terminal until it stops, where it is clamped by a spring contact. |
 | Wiring is carried out according to schematic diagram, shown on the electronic ballast. Tags made from pieces of masking tape are glued to those ends of the wires that will be connected to the ballast and the terminal number is written on them. This will avoid confusion. |
 | After the wiring is completed, the electronic ballast is placed close to that location. Where it will be installed and all numbered wires are connected to the corresponding terminals. To do this, press the contact mechanism with a screwdriver, and then the wire stripped to 9 mm is inserted into the terminal hole until it stops. The contact mechanism is released and the reliability of the wire connection is checked. |
 | Input terminals L, N, PE (phase, neutral, ground) are connected by wires to the input screw terminal of the lamp. |
 | Once all the wires are connected to the electronic ballast, it is installed in place and secured with screws to the housing, which has special holes. If necessary, a hole can be drilled. |
 | The wires laid in the lamp are grouped and placed as close to the edge as possible. The lamp body may have stamped antennae. If necessary, you can use plastic ties to organize the wires. |
 | After checking all the connections, the lamp is given a test run on the table and, if successful, it is mounted in its regular place. |
Readers have probably noticed that installing electronic ballast is a simple undertaking that does not require the participation of a highly qualified electrician. We can say that anyone can handle this. In order not to make mistakes when connecting, we suggest drawing a diagram by hand, and then after connecting some contacts in the lamp, mark this in your drawing. Tested - it helps.
All modern lamps are equipped in such a way that they do not require a soldering iron for installation, and there is no need to make twists. All connections must be made at terminals only. If the wire remaining from old scheme connection is not enough, then in no case should you twist or solder. It is better to replace this section with a solid wire. 1 meter of excellent installation wire PV-1 with a 1 mm² core costs 7 rubles. Connecting to the terminal takes a few seconds, but soldering already takes tens of minutes.
Video: Replacing two electromagnetic ballasts with one electronic one
Repair of faulty electronic ballast
Electronic ballast is a wonderful device that treats the fluorescent lamp very carefully, but, unfortunately, sometimes cannot protect itself. In this regard, electromagnetic ballast is much more reliable; you have to try very hard to “burn” it. Diagnosing a faulty electronic ballast is quite difficult for a person unfamiliar with electronics, but nevertheless we will give some advice.
If nothing happens when you turn on a lamp with electronic ballast, then you should try changing the lamp, maybe that’s the problem. To do this, you need to have a known working lamp, which you need to insert into the lamp sockets and try to start it. If nothing happens again, then you need to switch your attention to the electronic ballasts, since besides it and the lamps there is nothing in the lamp. If you don’t have a working lamp at hand, you can check the integrity of the spirals in the dialing mode. If they are intact and the lamp bulb is intact, then most likely it is in good condition, unless there is a strong blackening of the phosphor layer near the cathodes.
Electronics is the science of contacts. That's what the experts say. And before “climbing” into the complex ballast device, you need to ring everything electrical connections in the lamp, which, of course, must be disconnected from the network. It is also useful to ring the connections with the lamp inserted. To make sure that the pins of its base come into contact with the socket. If these actions did not reveal anything “criminal,” then it’s time to look at the “inner world” of the electronic ballast.
The electronic ballast must be removed from the housing by first disconnecting the connectors or removing the wires from the terminals. If the wires are not marked, then before disconnecting them, they must be marked in some way. The easiest way is to stick strips of masking tape with the terminal number on the wire. After this, the ballast can be removed from the luminaire body.
An external inspection of electronic ballasts can also tell a lot. If there was a strong thermal effect, it will definitely leave marks. You can note exactly where there was strong heating, so that later you can see what elements of the circuit could provoke it.
After opening the ballast housing, you need to carefully inspect the board. It happens that you don’t even need to inspect anything, since most of the elements are black, with obvious signs of overheating. Repairing such electronic ballasts will not be economically feasible, so after desoldering the entire elements (if any), the board can be thrown away.
The weak point of any electronic device is electrolytic capacitors, which are easily recognized by their “barrel-shaped” appearance. If their ratings are not observed, if their quality is poor, if the voltage is exceeded, or if they overheat, they may swell and even rupture, which occurs due to boiling of the electrolyte. Such signs clearly indicate a malfunction, so the capacitor is soldered off and all adjacent elements are checked. A new capacitor should be chosen with a higher operating voltage, for example, it was 250 V, but a new one should be installed at 400 V. Very often, dishonest manufacturers solder elements with a lower operating voltage into the electronic ballast board, which eventually leads to breakdown.
After the capacitors, you need to carefully inspect all other elements that may also appearance show your problem. Usually burnt resistors “speak” about themselves very clearly - they darken, become black as coal, and sometimes they simply break. Naturally, such parts also need to be changed, but in this case it is better to choose a power dissipation level that is a step or even two more than the rated one.
Resistors can be dialed directly in the circuit without desoldering them, since their main malfunction is burnout, which is equivalent to a break. Before checking, it is better to remove other elements - capacitors, diodes and transistors - from the circuit, and then use a special universal device for testing.
Burnt or “broken” diodes can also very often be easily seen by their characteristic darkening if they are in a plastic case. Diodes in a glass case often break into two parts or the bulb cracks. It is very easy to ring diodes. After desoldering from the printed circuit board (only one “leg” is possible), take a multimeter and set it to measure resistance or to a special mode indicated by a diode (if there is one). In the forward direction, the diode must conduct electric current well. To check this, the red probe of the multimeter is connected to the anode, and the black probe to the cathode (on diodes in a plastic case there is a strip near the cathode). If the multimeter shows some resistance values, then current is flowing. By swapping the probes, you need to make sure that the diode does not pass electric current in the opposite direction, its resistance is infinite. If so, then the diode is good. In all other cases it is faulty.
One of the most “problematic” parts in electronic ballasts are transistors. They work in the most difficult conditions - they need to switch high currents on and off at 40 thousand per second, which makes the transistors very hot. When they overheat, the properties of semiconductors change and “breakdown” can occur, which will render the transistor useless. As a result, uncontrollably large currents begin to “walk” through the circuit, which simultaneously burn out other nearby elements that have the least resistance. That is, the transistor never burns out in “splendid isolation”; it “pulls” the other transistor and other elements with it. To prevent the transistor from overheating, it is installed on a radiator that dissipates heat. And in good electronic ballasts they do this.
If there are no radiators on the transistors, then you can install them yourself by purchasing them at a radio store and screwing them with a screw through the hole in the case. In this case, between the transistor and the radiator there must be thermal paste of the KPT 8 type, which is used for computer processor coolers.
Externally, the transistor may not show any signs of malfunction and appear to be absolutely “healthy”. This may be true, but transistors in electronic ballasts should always be checked. They are one of the weak points. Although some sources on the Internet claim that the transistor can be checked without removing it from the board, this is actually not the case. Let's consider another version of the electronic ballast circuit.
It can be seen that the transistors are literally “hung” with various elements that conduct well. This means that the continuity of the transistors directly in the circuit will simply be incorrect. Therefore, our advice is that the transistors must be completely removed from the board, since in 80% of cases they will still be faulty if the electronic ballast is not working. Testing a transistor with a multimeter is as easy as shelling pears; you need to imagine it as two diodes, and then check each of them.
If you find at least one burnt-out transistor, you still need to change both, in any case. After one of the transistors fails, large currents begin to flow uncontrollably through the circuit, including through the second transistor, which can cause some changes in the semiconductor crystal. And they will most likely appear in the future.
Chokes and transformers very rarely fail, but nevertheless it is worth checking them simply by testing the windings with a multimeter. Special attention requires a high-voltage capacitor connected in parallel to the cathodes of the lamp. It happens that manufacturers install a capacitor with an operating voltage not of 1200 V, but with a lower one. Considering that this capacitor is involved in starting the lamp, the voltage on it can reach 700-800 V, which can cause its breakdown. Therefore, it is necessary to check it and, in case of replacement, select a nominal operating voltage of at least 1.2 kV, and preferably 2 kV.
When checking and diagnosing faults in the electronic ballast, it is still better to check absolutely all elements. The only “hard” nut to crack that cannot be checked with a multimeter is the dinistor. It is tested only at a special stand. Its breakdown is usually visible, since the bulb of this element is glass. But it happens that in the absence external signs If the electronic ballast fails, it is he who is to blame for the “silence”. Therefore, it is better to have a new dinistor on hand, especially since the price for them is cheap.
Diagnostics and repair of electronic ballasts with integrated circuits can no longer be carried out. This requires special laboratory equipment and specialist services.
Video: Repairing the electronic ballast of a lamp
Video: Electronic ballast repair
Conclusion
The massive introduction of electronic ballasts into the control circuits of fluorescent lamps has made it possible to improve the comfort of this type of lighting, increase the service life of the lamps, and achieve significant energy savings. With electronic ballasts, fluorescent lighting literally received a “rebirth” because, in addition to simply turning it on and off, “smart” electronics also made it possible to adjust the brightness in a very decent range.
The increased interest in electronic ballasts has unfortunately increased the activity of illegal and dishonest manufacturers who are flooding the market with low quality products. This greatly spoils the reputation of electronic ballasts in general, but smart people understood before, and understand now, that it is better to purchase one good electronic ballast for 10 years, even if they pay twice as much for it, than to change a cheaper one every year or two. Therefore, you should trust only those manufacturers who have earned their good reputation for many decades.
Ballast for a gas-discharge lamp (fluorescent light sources) is used to ensure normal operating conditions. Another name is ballast (ballast). There are two options: electromagnetic and electronic. The first of them has a number of disadvantages, for example, noise, the flickering effect of a fluorescent lamp.
The second type of ballast eliminates many of the disadvantages in the operation of the light source of this group, and therefore is more popular. But breakdowns in such devices also happen. Before discarding, it is recommended to check the ballast circuit elements for faults. It is quite possible to carry out electronic ballast repairs yourself.
Types and principle of operation
The main function of electronic ballasts is to convert alternating current into direct current. In another way, electronic ballast for gas-discharge lamps is also called a high-frequency inverter. One of the advantages of such devices is their compactness and, accordingly, low weight, which further simplifies the operation of fluorescent light sources. And the electronic ballast does not create noise during operation.
An electronic ballast, after connecting to a power source, provides current rectification and heating of the electrodes. In order for a fluorescent lamp to light up, a certain voltage is applied. The current is adjusted automatically, which is implemented using a special regulator.
This feature eliminates the possibility of flickering. Last stage– a high-voltage pulse occurs. The fluorescent lamp is ignited in 1.7 s. If there is a failure when starting the light source, the filament body instantly fails (burns out). Then you can try to make the repair yourself, which requires opening the case. The electronic ballast circuit looks like this:
The main elements of the electronic ballast of a fluorescent lamp: filters; the rectifier itself; converter; throttle. The circuit also provides protection against power supply surges, which eliminates the need for repairs for this reason. And, in addition, the ballast for gas-discharge lamps implements the power factor correction function.
According to their intended purpose, the following types of electronic ballasts are found:
- for linear lamps;
- ballast built into the design of compact fluorescent light sources.
Electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps are divided into groups that differ in functionality: analog; digital; standard.
Connection diagram, startup
The ballast is connected on one side to the power source, on the other to the lighting element. It is necessary to provide for the possibility of installing and fastening electronic ballasts. The connection is made in accordance with the polarity of the wires. If you plan to install two lamps via ballasts, a parallel connection option is used.
The diagram will look like this:
A group of gas-discharge fluorescent lamps cannot operate normally without a ballast. Its electronic design ensures a soft, but at the same time almost instantaneous start-up of the light source, which further extends its service life.
Ignition and maintenance of the lamp's functioning is carried out in three stages: heating of the electrodes, the appearance of radiation as a result of a high-voltage pulse, maintenance of combustion is carried out by constantly applying a small voltage.
Failure detection and repair work
If there are problems with the operation of gas-discharge lamps (flickering, lack of glow), you can make repairs yourself. But first you need to understand whether the problem is in the ballast or the lighting element. To check the functionality of the electronic ballasts, the linear light bulb is removed from the luminaires, the electrodes are short-circuited, and a regular incandescent lamp is connected. If it lights up, the problem is not with the ballast.
Otherwise, you need to look for the cause of the failure inside the ballast. To determine the malfunction of fluorescent lamps, it is necessary to “ring” all the elements in turn. You should start with the fuse. If one of the circuit components fails, it must be replaced with an analogue. The parameters can be seen on the burnt element. Repairing ballasts for gas-discharge lamps requires the use of soldering iron skills.
If everything is in order with the fuse, you should then check the serviceability of the capacitor and diodes that are installed in close proximity to it. The capacitor voltage should not fall below a certain threshold (this value varies for different elements). If all the ballast elements are in working order, without visible damage, and the ringing also did not give anything, all that remains is to check the inductor winding.
In some cases it is easier to buy a new lamp. This is advisable to do in the case where the cost of individual elements is higher than the expected limit or in the absence of sufficient skills in the soldering process.
Repair of compact fluorescent lamps is carried out according to a similar principle: first, the housing is disassembled; The filaments are checked and the cause of the breakdown on the control gear board is determined. There are often situations when the ballast is fully operational, but the filaments are burned out. Repairing the lamp in this case is difficult. If there is another broken light source of a similar model in the house, but with an intact filament, you can combine the two products into one.
Thus, electronic ballasts represent a group of improved devices that ensure efficient operation of fluorescent lamps. If the light source is flickering or does not turn on at all, checking the ballast and its subsequent repair will extend the life of the light bulb.
