If you have fluorescent, HID, or plug-and-play linear LED lighting, you’re using ballasts. If you use the correct ones, you’ll have a solution that’s not only energy efficient, but is also cost-effective. In addition, you’ll have advanced control over the amount of light produced.
What Is a Ballast?
A ballast is essentially something that works with a lighting mechanism and helps regulate, control, and stabilize the light output. A more descriptive definition can be found in Regency’s online lighting glossary: “A device used with an electric-discharge lamp to obtain the necessary circuit conditions (voltage, current and waveform) for starting and operation. All fluorescent and HID light sources require a ballast for proper operation. Dimming ballasts are special ballasts which, when used together with a dimmer, will vary the light output of a lamp.”
There are lots of different kinds of ballasts. Program start ballasts, for example, provide the lamp with the correct amount of electrical energy that keeps the lamp warm and stops its inner workings from dying before they should. Some other types are said to have faster start times along with other desirable benefits.
By now you’re probably thinking, “this is all fine and good, but what really is a ballast? Can you put it in terms that I can understand?” Absolutely. Ballasts can easily be compared to the human heart. Just as the heart disperses blood correctly to all the different parts of the body to keep it alive and functioning, a ballast distributes energy to the different parts of the fixture (fluorescents, HIDs, and plug-and-play linear LEDs).
How Do Ballasts Work?
To better understand how ballasts work, we are going to again compare them to the human heart. Just as it adjusts to different conditions (sleep, exercise, stress, relaxation, etc.), a ballast can adjust based off the conditions around it. An example of this is when a ballast dims a fluorescent or HID lamp by changing up its light output. The other features they have pay off in great economical savings and environment benefits. In addition, they comply well with power reduction codes (that are getting more and more strict) and energy efficiency requirements.
How to Meet Energy Reduction Requirements with Ballast-Dependent Lighting
There are lots of factors pushing people to getting the most efficient lighting system available—including energy codes, utility incentives, and increasing energy costs. Sometimes it’s just best to get LED lighting, but some ballast-dependent systems can be a good choice as well. Here are a few options to consider:
- Dimmable ballasts: You can use a dimmable ballast in conjunction with the right controls to vary the light output of a lamp based on the conditions.
- Multi-ballast systems: You can have two or more ballasts working in a multi-lamp fixture. This is easy on your budget and the installation, allowing you to switch off 50 percent of the lamps off in one single fixture.
- Low ballast factor: If you just want a fixture that’ll use less energy and don’t care about having lighting control, think about getting a low ballast factor product. These should reduce the wattage of the lamp by 10-15 percent.
Do I Have the Right Lighting Combo?
35% of your business’ energy use can be spent on your commercial lighting alone. Now you’re probably wondering whether or not you’re using the best combination of light bulbs to get the most for your money. Below is a little more information to help you choose the correct fixture for your needs.
The Difference Between Commercial and Residential Fixtures
Lighting for commercial use is rigged to illuminate such areas adequately in order for them to function properly (whether that’s manufacturing, sales, or anything and everything in between). They create custom solutions by using different colors, designs, and intensities. For example, commercial ballasts are paired with fluorescents and regulate the current going in to prevent overheating and to keep the fixtures from burning out. The ballast is “mated” to the light bulb. These commercial fluorescents produce a stronger magnetic interference (and heat) than residential ones. Therefore, it’s important that you install them correctly to keep them from interfering with electronics and causing fires.
What Type of Light Bulb Is Best for My Business?
Incandescent: Older technology makes incandescents less efficient than other options and is best used for task lighting. In 2012, the Department of Energy requires that these bulbs use less wattage while still producing the same amount of light. There are different kinds of these bulbs including reflectorized, xenon, and general service/standard.
Halogen: These are twice as efficient as incandescents. They’re typically used outside (for security or in stadiums) and give off a bright white light.
Fluorescent: Fluorescents and compact fluorescent bulbs use 1/5 to 1/3 as much energy as an incandescent and are most commonly used in commercial lighting. A CFL can be placed in a standard light socket to replace an incandescent in order to save energy. While they do last 10 times longer (than incandescents) and have comparable lumen ratings, they do contain mercury and you should be sure they are disposed properly.
HID/Metal halide: High-density discharge bulbs have many advantages including their long lifespan, efficiency, and ability to produce a lot of bright light. However, this light color isn’t very aesthetically pleasing, unless they are metal halides. This type of lamp is used typically in warehouses and industrial locations.
LED: Light emitting diodes are used in LEDs and are generally more efficient—using 75% less energy and last 35-50 times longer than incandescents.
What Are Some Signs You Need New Lights?
There are quite a few. Consider the list below.
- Dim or flickering lights
- Unresponsive lights that don’t turn on or off when they should
- Light bulbs often burnout
- Lights are burnt out or cracked
- Light bulbs explode
- Color of the lighting is off
- Lights aren’t illuminating a space sufficiently
- You’d rather have a softer, brighter, or cooler light
- Wanting to upgrade (for convenience or to save money) by getting longer life bulbs
- Older technology bulbs using excessive energy
Updating Your Lighting
You can save money and energy by replacing the bulbs you use often with more energy efficient options. Matching your new replacement bulbs with the fixtures you already have can be tricky, however, especially if you have older ones. Getting new fixtures that work with your new light bulbs is probably the best choice as you get the greatest reliability, longevity, and energy savings. Before even starting to replace a light bulb and/or ballast, you should have some understanding of basic lighting principles and terms. If you have this knowledge, you’ll be able to get the most economical option.
Replacing Incandescents and Ballasts
A lot of indoor lighting fixtures keep a lot of the light inside the fixture. The newer incandescents are better, as they put more light out into the room. Still others use smaller halogen lights. Indoor fixture design has advanced and now they use brighter reflectors as well as better reflecting geometry.
Many incandescent bulbs are misused. One example of this is a light bulb outside that shines its light beyond where it’s supposed to, creating light pollution. You can fix this by using a bulb with less wattage instead.
A-type light bulbs can be replaced with CFLs, LEDs, and energy-saving (halogen) incandescents. All of these are more energy-efficient options.
A good option to put in recessed fixtures are CFLs packaged as ellipsoidal reflectors (type-ER). If you want a good floodlight or spotlight, use a reflector (R) or parabolic reflector (PAR) CFLs.
The reason you shouldn’t use A-type and reflector light bulbs in recessed fixtures is the fact that the energy gets wasted as the light is trapped in the fixture. Instead, replace a 150 watt (W) standard reflector with a 75W type-ER to safe energy. If you use ER lamps, remember that you can’t use them in shallow fixtures because they’re less efficient in those unless you use reflectors or parabolic reflectors.
Replacing Fluorescent Light Bulbs and Ballasts
Fluorescent bulbs are energy efficient as they are but there are newer ones that are even more efficient with better electrodes and coatings than those previous. They put out the same lumens while using less wattage.
You can find energy-saving lamps to replace less-common fluorescent fixtures as well as common ones. Good replacements for the typical 40 watt (W) and 75W incandescents are 34W and 60W, respectively.
More efficient replacement ballasts for your fluorescent fixtures are called improved electromagnetic ballasts and electronic ballasts. They raise the efficiency of the fixture by 12%-30%.
Not only do the newer electromagnetic ballasts last longer than the standard ones, they also reduce ballast losses, fixture temperature, and system wattage because they operate at cooler temperatures.
An even more efficient option than the new and improved electromagnetic ballasts are the electronic ballasts that work at a high frequency that minimizes flickering and noise. While it isn’t recommended for most fluorescents to be able to be dimmed, some of the electronic ballasts actually allow you to operate them on a dimmer switch.
How to Dispose Fluorescent Light Bulbs
You can’t just throw your burned-out fluorescent lamps in the trash. This is because fluorescent lights contain a little bit of mercury. Some of the CFLs with magnetic ballasts actually have small amounts of short-lived radioactive material. These are hazardous materials and, as mentioned before, can’t be just placed in the garbage.
Instead, take them with your old batteries, solvents, and paints to the designated drop-off point in your community or put them out on the right day to be picked up on your curb. Another option is the increase of recycling programs in communities. Many retailers will recycle CFLs for free. Take a look at the EPA recommendations for disposal and cleanup steps.