Guide to Fluorescent Lamp-Ballast Compatibility

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Primary Sponsor ? Empire State Electric Energy Research Corporation NLPIP Sponsors CINergy Energy Center of Wisconsin Iowa Energy Center Lighting Research Center New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Northern States Power Company United States Department of Energy United States Environmental Protection Agency Overview ANSI guidelines, specifiers should consult Lamp Operation Lighting specifiers and end-users can both the lamp and the ballast manufacturer Once a lamp has started, a ballast main- minimize the problems of unreliable to determine who will provide warranty tains the lamp current. Most rapid-start starting, end darkening, and reduced lamp coverage for the system should a problem ballasts also continue to provide electrode life in fluorescent lighting systems by occur after installation. voltage to heat the electrodes during lamp selecting compatible lamps and ballasts and operation, although cathode-disconnect checking to be sure that these products meet Lamp Starting ballasts and most instant-start ballasts do American National Standards Institute A fluorescent lamp includes two electrodes, not heat the electrodes once the lamps are (ANSI) guidelines. This Guide to Fluorescent usually double- or triple-coiled tungsten operating to reduce lighting system power. Lamp-Ballast Compatibility from the wire coated with electron-emitting A lighting system that does not meet ANSI National Lighting Product Information material, positioned at each end of the guidelines for lamp current crest factor, Program (NLPIP) includes information lamp. (ANSI documents refer to these lamp operating electrode voltage, lamp about lamp-ballast compatibility and a table electrodes as cathodes). For starting and current, and ballast factor may also cause and product information sheet for use in operating, current flows from the electrode increased lamp-end darkening and reduced specifying fluorescent lighting systems. The at one end of the lamp to the electrode at lamp life. table also includes specification guidelines the other end. from ANSI. Rapid-start ballasts heat the electrodes of How To Use the Product When a lamp and ballast both meet all fluorescent lamps before applying a high Information Sheet the guidelines in the table, they should be voltage [200-300 volts (V) for 4-foot (ft) Copies of the product information sheet on compatible. Meeting just one criterion lamps] to start the lamps. Preheating the next page can be used to collect does not assure lamp-ballast compatibility. reduces the damage to the electrodes that product-specific information from ballast For example, in a system that maintains occurs during the starting process. Instant- manufacturers. You can ask ballast manu- lamp current crest factor below 1.7, failure start ballasts do not preheat the electrodes so facturers to complete a sheet for each to meet ANSI lamp starting voltage and higher voltages (at least 400 V) are required product of interest. The values entered in ballast factor guidelines could still reduce to start the lamps. the shaded area of the product information lamp life. The parameters that determine the sheet can be compared to the values in the Ballast manufacturers offer products that starting characteristics of a lamp-ballast table. NLPIP has also provided space for operate lamps outside of ANSI guidelines, system are lamp starting voltage, lamp recording other ballast information. usually to provide lamp-ballast systems starting electrode voltage, electrode preheat that operate at lower power. In general, time, and glow current. If a lamp-ballast lamp manufacturers warrant their lamps combination meets the guidelines for these only for operation on ballasts that meet parameters as shown in the table, the ANSI guidelines. Therefore, when lighting system is likely to start reliably. considering a ballast that does not meet

F40T12 and F32T8 Rapid-Start Lamp-Ballast Compatibility

ANSI Guidelines T12a Ts8 Possible Effect Reduced End Poor Lmamp or Ballast Parameters Mminimu Mmaximu Mminimu Maximu Lamp Life Darkening Starting Lamp Starting Voltage (one lamp) (V) 200 260 200 NA + + – (two lamps in series) 256 330 300b NA + + – (three lamps in series) 395 525 NA NA + + – Lamp Starting L4amp Starting Electrode Voltage (V) 35. 44. 35. 4. – / +–/+– E0lectrode Preheat Time (msec) 5A0 N c 5A00 N c ––NA G)low Current (mAA N52AN52 ++NA LAamp Current Crest Factor N71A. N71. ++NA Lamp L5amp Operating Electrode Voltage (V) 20. 45. 24. 4. – / +–NA Operation LAamp Current (% of rated value) N5115/107. d N5A 115/107. d ++NA B5allast Factor 0.925/0.8 d N5A 0.925/0.8 d NA ––NA

+ = Exceeding the maximum value may cause a problem. – = Failure to meet the minimum value may cause a problem. NA = Not applicable. a Also applies to T10 lamps. b For starting capacitors 0.08–0.12 µf (microfarads); 315 V for starting capacitors rated at 0.04–0.06 µf. c Although ANSI does not set maximum limits for cathode preheat time, a delay of more than one second in lamp starting may not be acceptable to some end-users. d First value indicates the maximum for low-frequency (60 Hz) operation. Second value indicates the maximum for high-frequency (20–60kHz) operation. PRODUCT INFORMATION SHEET: Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts Manufacturer:______Phone Number:______Catalog Number:______Trade Name:______Manufacturer’s suggested retail price per unit (quantity of_____) (US$):______

Lamp data (choose only one response for each) Rapid-start lamp: ❏ F40T12 ❏ F40T10 ❏ F34T12 ❏ F32T8 ❏ Other______Number of lamps: ❏ 1 ❏ 2 ❏ 3 ❏ 4 Voltage (V): ❏120 ❏ 277 ❏ 347 Physical data Starting characteristics Method: ❏ Instant Start ❏ Rapid Start ❏ Other______Circuit type (for multiple lamp types only): ❏ Series ❏ Parallel Operating characteristics Frequency: ❏ 60 Hz ❏______kHz Other available lamp types: ❏ F40T12 ❏ F40T10 ❏ F34T12 ❏ F32T8 ❏ FB40T12 ❏ FB40T12/ES ❏ FB31T8 ❏ Other______Size Overall dimensions (inches): length______width______height_____ Unit weight (lbs):______Performance data Electrical and photometric data System input power (W):______Lamp starting voltage (V):______Lamp starting electrode voltage (V) (for rapid-start ballasts only) across dummy load: minimum______maximum______Electrode preheat time (msec) (for rapid-start ballasts only):______Glow current (mA) (for rapid-start ballasts only):______Lamp current crest factor:______Lamp operating electrode voltage (V) (for rapid-start ballasts only): minimum______maximum______Lamp current (% of rated value):______Ballast factor (BF):______Ballast efﬁcacy factor (BEF):______

Power quality Power factor:______❏ leading ❏ lagging Total harmonic distortion (THD):______

Life Rated life:______for maximum ambient temperature of:______❏ °C ❏ °F Warranty period:______

Other Sound rating:______Minimum starting temperature:______❏ °C ❏ °F Listed or certiﬁed by: ❏ UL ❏ CSA ❏ CBM Source: ❏ Independent testing laboratory (cite report and lab name): ❏ Manufacturer’s testing laboratory or other (describe):

Date completed:______by: More Information To purchase a report with further details on different lamp and ballast starting and operating parameters, and to obtain information on other publications from the National Lighting Product Information Program, please contact the Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY 12180, phone (518)276-8716, fax (518)276-2999, e-mail [email protected].

National Lighting Product Information Program Lighting Research Center Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY 12180-3590