Electronic Ballast Technology: Stingray Energy Systems LLC

Electronic Ballast Technology

In the 1990’s, the development of electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps triggered a wave of lighting retrofit activity and legislation aimed at capitalizing on the significant energy-saving potential of the new technology vs. traditional magnetic ballasts. The market was quick to adopt the new technology and today, magnetic ballasts for fluorescent lighting systems are scarcely available. Over the last several years, electronic ballast technologies have emerged for metal halide lamps to provide a comparable list of benefits.

Electronic ballasts manage the electrical power used to start and operate metal halide lamps in a more sophisticated way. Using modern electronic components and micro-controller technology, these state-of-the-art power supply systems deliver power that is carefully conditioned to extend the life of the lamp as well as its performance over life (lumen maintenance). Depending on the facility's relamping strategy, it may be important to take this effect into account when performing comparative analyses, in the form of an adjustment to mean lamp lumens. When lamps are operated on electronic ballasts their lumen depreciation is reduced, resulting in higher light levels over time. Alternatively, it allows for reduced installation and operational cost savings by virtue of improved performance.

Additionally, in the process of converting the electrical power supplied by the utility company to a form that is suitable for the operation of HID lamps, electronic ballasts consume a fraction of the energy that magnetic ballasts do. This "overhead" must always be added to the lamp's power draw in order to determine the net power consumption of any lamp/ballast system. The superior efficiency of electronic ballasts also reduces waste heat (due to ballast losses) generated by the lighting system that must subsequently be removed in many conditioned environments.

Without the need for heavy core-and-coil ballast componentry, both the weight and size of electronic ballasts are substantially reduced relative to their magnetic counterparts. This simplifies installation and handling, and enhances the appearance of the product in application. As a high-frequency device, electronic ballasts also provide very quiet operation (no audible hum or buzz) while eliminating lamp flicker and stroboscopic effects.

Lightweight Symphon-E™ electronic HID ballast with die-cast housing, junction box and mounting hook