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ELECTRONIC FLUORESCENT BALLASTSThe job of a ballastIn all fluorescent lighting systems, the ballast’s basic tasks include: Providing the proper voltage to establish an arcbetween the two electrodes. Regulating the electric current flowing through thelamp to stabilize light output.In some fluorescent lighting systems, the ballast also provides acontrolled amount of electrical energy to preheat or maintainthe temperature of the lamp electrodes at levels specified bythe manufacturer. This is required to prevent electrode filamentsdeteriorating prematurely and shortening the lamp life.Starting MethodsFor many years there were only three types of lighting systems:preheat, rapid start and slimline instant start. With the introductionof electronic ballasts, two additional types of lighting system circuitshave been added: instant start for T8 lamps and programmed start.Each requires a special ballast design to operate the lamps in thecircuit properly.Instant start electronic ballasts start lamps without delay ( 0.1seconds) or flicker by providing a starting voltage that is sufficientlyhigh to start a discharge through the lamps without the need forheating lamp electrodes. For F32T8 systems, the starting voltage isabout 600V. The elimination of electrode heating maximizes energysavings — typically saving 2W per lamp compared to rapid startballasts. Instant start ballasts are best suited for applications withlimited switches each day. Lamps operated by instant start ballaststypically operate 10,000 to 15,000 switch cycles before failure.Rapid start electronic ballasts start lamps quickly (0.5 — 1.0 seconds)without flicker by heating the lamp electrodes and simultaneouslyapplying a starting voltage. The starting voltage of about 500V forF32T8 systems is sufficient to start a discharge through the lampswhen the electrodes have reached an adequate temperature.Electrode heating continues during operation and typically consumes2W per lamp. Lamps operated by rapid start ballasts typicallyoperate 15,000 to 20,000 switch cycles before failure.Programmed start electronic ballasts also start lamps quickly(1.0 -1.5 seconds) without flicker. Programmed start ballastsare designed to maximize lamp life in frequent lamp startingapplications such as in areas where occupancy sensor controlsare used. Programmed start electronic ballasts precisely heat thelamp electrodes, tightly controlling the preheat duration beforeapplying the starting voltage. This enhancement over rapid startballasts minimizes electrode stress and depletion of emitter material,thereby maximizing lamp life. Lamps operated by programmed startballasts typically operate up to 50,000 switch cycles before failure.CircuitsSeries vs. Parallel. Lighting systems are typically wired in a series orparallel circuit. When a ballast is operating multiple lamps in a seriescircuit, if one lamp fails, the circuit is opened and all the lamps willextinguish. When a ballast operates multiple lamps in a parallelcircuit, the lamps operate independently of each other so, if onelamp fails, the others can keep operating as the circuit betweenthem and the ballast remains unbroken.As a general rule, rapid start ballasts are wired with the lamps inseries. Programmed start ballasts are also typically wired with lampsin series. However, some three- and four-lamp ballasts featureseries-parallel operation; so that when a single lamp in one branchfails, the lamp(s) in the parallel branch will continue to operate.Instant start ballasts are typically wired with the lamps in parallel.ElectronicFluorescent BallastsElectronic Ballast FundamentalsThe Language of BallastsInput Voltage (dedicated vs. multi). Most ballasts are designed tooperate at specific voltages. Newer electronic ballasts, including PhilipsAdvance models that use IntelliVolt technology, offer much greaterflexibility and other advantages such as inventory reduction. Today’sincreasing demands on electrical utilities can cause wide voltagevariations during load demand changes which in turn cause lightoutput from lamps operated on dedicated electronic andelectromagnetic ballasts to vary with the input voltage changes.With IntelliVolt technology, many Philips Advance ballasts maintainconstant light output through nominal input voltage ranges of 120to 277 volts, thereby compensating for any change in input voltage.Some ballasts operate from 277 to 480 volts or 347 to 480 volts.Input Watts/ANSI Watts. Input watts published by ballastmanufacturers are the total watts consumed by both the ballastand the lamps it operates. ANSI watts are the rating given for aballast measured under the strict testing procedures specified byANSI standards and are a dependable measure of this lamp/ballastperformance. Energy savings can be determined by comparing theinput watts of different lighting systems.Input watts may be affected by tolerance build-up from the ballast,lamp, input voltage and ambient temperature. The input wattspublished in this catalog are for nominal conditions only.Ballast Factor (BF) is the ratio of light output from a lamp operatedon a commercial ballast to the light output of that same lampoperated on a “reference ballast” as specified by ANSI standards.Light output ratings published by lamp manufacturers, are based onthis “reference ballast”.BF light output of lamp operated on commercial ballastlight output of lamp operated on reference ballastBF is a measure of light output best thought of as a ‘multiplier’.Multiplying the BF times rated lumens will determine actual lightoutput of a given system operated on commercial ballasts.Ballast Efficacy Factor (BEF) is the ratio of ballast factor to inputwatts. This measurement is generally used to compare the efficiencyof various lighting systems — higher numbers being more efficient.Ballast Efficacy Factor Ballast Factor x 100Input WattsThis comparison is only valid, however, for ballasts operating thesame number and type of lamps. In order to compare differenttypes of lighting systems, the lumen output of the lamps must alsobe used.Lighting Electronics Atlas 2010-20111-7

ElectronicFluorescent BallastsELECTRONIC FLUORESCENT BALLASTSPower Factor (PF) is the measurement of how effectively aballast converts the voltage and current supplied by the power sourceinto watts of usable power delivered to the ballast and lamps. Perfectpower utilization would result in a power factor of one.Input WattsPF Input Current x Input VoltageA ballast’s power factor may be classified under any one of thefollowing categories:High Power Factor (HPF)0.90 or greaterPower Factor Corrected (PFC)0.80 to 0.89Normal (Low) Power Factor (NPF)0.79 or lessPower factor measurements pertain only to the effective use ofpower supplied to the ballast. They are not an indication of theballast’s ability to supply light through the lamps. Because low powerfactor ballasts require about twice the current needed by high powerfactor ballasts, they allow fewer fixtures per circuit and create addedwiring costs. High power factor ballasts are generally specified for allcommercial lighting applications.EMI/RFI. Because they operate at high frequency, electronic ballastsmay produce electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequencyinterference (RFI). RFI frequencies are a subset of EMI frequencies.EMI issues cover all possible operating frequencies while RFI is onlyconcerned with radio and television frequencies. This interferencecould affect the operation of sensitive electrical equipment, suchas radios, televisions or medical equipment. All Philips Advanceelectronic ballasts incorporate features necessary to afford maximumprotection for the operating environment and operate well withinregulatory limits.Ballast Noise. The slight “humming” sound associated withfluorescent lighting systems results from vibration caused by theinherent electromagnetic action in the core-and-coil assembly of theballasts. All electromagnetic and some electronic ballasts make thissound. Ballasts are assigned a sound rating, “A” through “F”, basedon the amount of sound produced, with “A” being thequietest. Generally, the larger the lamp and ballast, the higher thesound level and the sound rating will be. Because electronicballasts have smaller components, they have the lowest soundrating. Some electronic ballasts make almost no sound. There is noANSI standard for this rating and it is left up to the manufacturer torate their ballasts.Inrush Current. All electrical devices including ballasts havean initial current surge that is greater than their steady-stateoperating current. A standard published by the National ElectricalManufacturers Association (NEMA) — NEMA 410 — PerformanceTesting for Lighting Controls and Switching Devices with ElectronicFluorescent Ballasts — covers worst-case ballast inrush currents. Allcircuit breakers and light switches are designed for inrush currents.The electrical system should be designed with this issue in mind.1-8Lighting Electronics Atlas 2010-2011Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). Harmonic distortion occurs whenthe wave-shape of current or voltage varies from a pure sine wave.Except for a simple resistor, all electronic devices, including electromagnetic and electronic ballasts, contribute to power-line distortion.For ballasts, THD is generally considered the percent of harmoniccurrent the ballast adds to the power distribution system. The ANSIstandard for electronic ballasts specifies a maximum THD of 32% forcommercial applications. However, most electric utilities now requirethat the THD of electronic ballasts be 20% or less. Almost all PhilipsAdvance electronic ballasts are rated for either less than 20% THD orless than 10% THD.Phase AActual WaveformThird Harmonic(180Hz)Phase BLow CurrentNeutral WireIf low Third Harmonicon balanced systemPhase CPhase A60 Hz SineWavePhase B100% Plus CurrentNeutral Wire(Overheated)ThirdHarmonicPhase CIndicates ballast is listed with Underwriters Laboratories,Inc. and complies with UL935 Standard for FluorescentLamp Ballasts (File No. E14927).Visit www.ul.com to find a current listing of Philips Advanceballasts under File No. E14927.Indicates ballast is certified by Canadian StandardsAssociation and complies with CSA C22.2 No. 74Standard for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts (File No.007310)Visit www.csa.ca to find current listing of Philips Advance ballastsunder File No. 007310.Normal InputVoltageCatalog NumberPrefix CodeLabel ColorCoding120VRYellow277VVRed347VGGrey120V to 277VIBlue277V to 480VJBrown347V to 480VHPurple

ELECTRONIC FLUORESCENT BALLASTSNon-Dimming ApplicationsWhen selecting a ballast for a lighting application, the TotalHarmonic Current (THC) rating of the ballast is more significantthan Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). This is because theabsolute value of harmonic current, not the percentage, affectsthe electrical power distribution system. As can been seen in thetable below, the THC rating of our Standard 2-lamp electronicT8 lamp ballast (REL-2P32-SC) is well below that of both theconventional (RQM-2S40-TP) and energy-saving magnetic T12lamp ballasts (R-2S40-TP) it replaces. Moreover, the THC ratingof our Centium electronic ballast is even lower.Dimming ApplicationsMark 7 0-10V and ROVRTMTraditional low voltage controlled ballasts and ROVR typicallyproduce less than 10% THD at full light output and less than20% THD throughout the entire dimming range, but require extrawires for the control circuit. THC is always lower than that of theconventional or energy-saving magnetic system.Mark 10 PowerlineMark 10 Powerline electronic dimming ballasts are controlledby 2-wire modified powerline phase-cut style line voltagedimmers. Whenever the ballast is dimmed, the input voltageis cut or “chopped”, causing the THD to increase and the PowerFactor to decrease.lighting systems they replace. Since a much smaller load is requiredby the Mark 10 Powerline electronic dimming system to achieve thesame illumination level as a magnetic ballast system (20-30% less), thetotal input current will be considerably less. As a result, the magnitudeof the total harmonic current will be less.ElectronicFluorescent BallastsTotal Harmonic CurrentFor example, a typical Mark 10 Powerline electronic ballast anddimmer control might draw a line current of 0.58A at 15% THD atfull light output. If the light level is reduced to 5% of the maximum,the input power is decreased to 0.19A at 95% THD. While theTHD level may seem high at the 5% maximum light outputsetting, the total harmonic current is still lower (0.13A) thanthe conventional T12 magnetic system (0.20A). Moreover,the overall heating effect on the wires and the distributiontransformer is never higher than the existing conventional orenergy saving T12 magnetic systems.1ConclusionsA simple ballast retrofit to electronic ballasts should not causeharmonic problems if none existed before the retrofit. Also, innew fixture applications, total harmonic distortion should not be aconcern when specifying electronic ballasts. Finally, it is importantto remember that electronic ballasts are not the greatest source ofTHD in an electrical distribution system. Other electronic devicessuch as computers, laser printers, and other electronic equipmentcan draw current with more than 100% THD in some cases.Mark 10 Powerline electronic dimming systems (ballast and controller)have similar THD and Power Factor levels as the conventionalTable 1: Comparison of THD and THC LevelsPhilips AdvancePart No.Light OutputSettingLampTypeInputCurrent% THDTHC2RQM-2S40-TPConventionalMagnetic100% (BallastFactor is 0.98)(2) F40T120.84A 25%0.20AR2S40-TPEnergy SavingMagnetic100% (BallastFactor is 0.95)(2) F34T120.63A 20%0.12AStandard100% (BallastFactor is 0.88)(2) F32T80.49A 20%0.10ACentium100% (BallastFactor is 0.88)(2) F32T80.49A 10%0.05AIZT-2S32-SC Dimming ControlMark 7 0-10V100% (BallastFactor is 1.0)(2) F32T80.57A 10%0.05AIZT-2S32-SC Dimming ControlMark 7 0-10V5% (BallastFactor is 0.05)(2) F32T80.12A 20%0.02AREZ-2S32-SC(Ballast Only)Mark 10 Powerline100% (BallastFactor is 1.0)(2) F32T80.58A 10%0.06AREZ-2S32-SC Dimming ControlMark 10 Powerline100% (BallastFactor is 1.0)(2) F32T80.58A 15%0.09AREZ-2S32-SC Dimming ControlMark 10 Powerline5% (BallastFactor is 0.05)(2) F32T80.19A cElectronicElectronicElectronicElectronicBallast DimmerBallast DimmerFor a more technical study comparing the a Mark 10 Powerline electronic dimming systemto an energy saving magnetic system that it replaces, see the article THD in Philips Advance Mark10 Powerline Electronic Dimming Systems by O.C. Morse.2The Total Harmonic Current (THC) of a ballast is calculated by the following equation:An approximation of THC may be obtained by simply multiplying the ballast input current by %THD.Ballast Input CurrentSquare Root of (1 1/THD2)Lighting Electronics Atlas 2010-20111-9

ElectronicFluorescent BallastsELECTRONIC FLUORESCENT BALLASTSBallast LifePhilips Advance fluorescent electronic and magnetic ballasts aredesigned and manufactured to engineering standards correlating toan average life expectancy of 50,000 hours of operation at maximumrated case temperature. Since Philips Advance ballasts operate belowtheir maximum case temperature in the majority of applications,increased ballast life can be expected. As a rule of thumb, ballastlife may be doubled for every 10 C reduction in ballast caseoperating temperature. However, there are many variables,such as input voltage, ambient temperature, etc. which affectballast operating temperatures, and therefore ballast life.Lamp Operating FrequencyElectromagnetic ballasts and the lamps connected to them operateat an input voltage frequency of 60 Hertz (Hz), 60 cycles persecond — which is the standard alternating voltage/current frequencyprovided in North America. Electronic ballasts, on the other hand,convert this 60 Hz input to operate lamps at much higherfrequencies above 20 Kilohertz (kHz), 20,000 cycles per second.Philips Advance ballasts operate above 20 kHz, but avoid certainranges such as 30-40 kHz (infrared) and 54-62 kHz (theft deterrentsystems) due to interference issues.Because electronic ballasts function at high frequency, the fluorescentlighting systems that they operate can convert power to light moreefficiently than systems operated by electromagnetic ballasts (Seechart below). For example, lamps operated on electronic ballastscan produce over 10 percent more light then if operated on electromagnetic ballasts at the same power levels. In effect, today’s electronicballasts provide additional energy savings by matching the light outputfrom electromagnetic ballasts while operating the lamps at lowerpower. This is the main reason why electronic ballast systems aremore efficient than magnetic ballast system.electromagnetic models. Almost all Philips Advance electronicballasts have a smaller cross-section than electromagnetic ballastsbut maintain the same mounting dimensions. This means that theycan fit into all new fixture designs and can be easily retrofitted intoexisting fluorescent lighti

Reliable and energy-efficient, Philips Advance broad line of Centium high frequency electronic ballasts offer all of the energy-saving properties of our standard electronic line plus the added benefits of lamp striation reduction technology making th