Understanding lamp and ballast performance issues is at the core of developing any successful fluorescent lighting control system.
Two types of fluorescent lighting control systems exist: static/on-off and dimming. Static systems (fixed wattage reduction) using electronic ballasts are the most common technology used in commercial and industrial applications. The energy efficiency, quality and physical properties of these systems have improved dramatically during the last 20 years. Many of the previous problems associated with lamp/ballast compatibility have been resolved for static systems, largely because the global lamp manufacturers have taken control of the specifications for the electronic ballasts that operate their lamps. However, the confidence levels among decision-makers for dimming fluorescent lighting systems are not nearly as high as they are for static systems.
Barriers associated with dimming lamp/ballast performance include:
Undefined lamp/ballast operating characteristics for fluorescent dimming systems
Anecdotal reports from the field suggest that lamps are failing prematurely when operated on dimming electronic ballasts. This is a problem for controls manufacturers who have the most to gain from the widespread acceptance of lighting controls. The controls may communicate properly with the ballast, but the ballast may not reliably start and operate the lamp.
Low market demand/high costs for dimming electronic ballasts
Poor reliability of fluorescent dimming systems, real or imagined, is a significant barrier to the penetration of dimming controls. Progress toward reliable operation is slow because of low market demand for dimming ballasts. Nevertheless, there is some reason for optimism because global manufacturers are now taking responsibility for both the lamp and the ballast. The major manufacturers are able to produce dimming ballasts that work well, if not perfectly, with any commodity fluorescent lamp. But without demand, there is little reason to expect commodity fluorescent dimming systems to work reliably in the near future.
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