Performance of selected fluorescent lighting products

The authors describe the performance of three different T12 fluorescent lamps, each operated with four different ballast systems: a dimmable magnetic ballast, a nondimmable magnetic ballast alone or with a power reducer, and an electronic ballast. A realistic lighting testbed was constructed, consisting of eight two-lamp luminaires in a lay-in ceiling. Ambient temperature and power supplied to the lamp testing facility were tightly controlled. Light output, power consumption, and power quality were measured for every lamp and ballast combination. The electronic ballast achieved superior performance on all measures, which is particularly significant given the poor reported performance of earlier electronic ballast technology. All lamps operated at well above the most efficient operating temperature for all ballasts.<>