What is Electronic Ballast for Fluorescent Lights? | New Topic [2024]

In this note, we are going to know a topic called “What is Electronic Ballast for Fluorescent Lights?“, also about its operation, advantages, and disadvantages as well. Welcome to Poly Notes Hub, a leading destination for engineering notes for diploma and degree engineering students.

Author Name: Arun Paul.

What is Electronic Ballast for Fluorescent Lights?

An Electronic Ballast for Fluorescent Lights, a more modern and efficient type of ballast, has gained popularity in recent years. It regulates current flow in gas-discharge lamps using electronic circuitry such as transistors and diodes.

Operation of Electronic Ballast for Fluorescent Lights

Electronic ballasts, unlike electromagnetic ballasts, operate at significantly higher frequencies, often ranging from 20 kHz to 100 kHz. They transform the mains voltage from alternating current to direct current and then cut it into a high-frequency AC signal. This high-frequency operation significantly lowers or eliminates visual flicker and humming, making it more suitable for places where illumination quality is critical (e.g., offices, and houses).

Electronic ballasts control the amount of current flowing to the bulb more precisely than electromagnetic ballasts, resulting in smoother operation and higher energy efficiency.

Advantages of Electronic Ballast

Below we have listed some merits of electronic ballast –

• It is more energy efficient.
• It has light weight.
• It is compact in size.
• It produces less amount of heat than electromagnetic ballast.

Disadvantages of Electronic Ballast

Below we have listed some demerits of electronics ballast –

• Initial cost is high in this types of ballast
• It can have shorter lifespan.