Preserving lamp life using a low cost elctronic ballast with compact fluorescent lamps, a new approach

The author reports the results of a multi-year lamp life study using a low-cost electronic ballast design for compact fluorescent lamps which drives the lamp with a partially modulated component. The tests were conducted in accordance with established practices and procedures using a significant number of lamps. The ballast exhibits high power factor and low total harmonic distortion, while maintaining the small physical size required by the application. Current industry thinking requires ballasts to have a lamp current crest factor of 1.7 or less to maintain rated lamp life. The data show that lamp life can be preserved with a properly designed high-frequency electronic ballast, having a modulated component even though the crest factor may be higher than 1.7 as measured by several laboratories