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Lighting
Ballast - light bulb basics
Ballast
Ballast is a type of transformer that is used to increase the
voltage for florescent lamps as well as control the electrical
current. The basic kind of ballast is magnetic ballast, and these
are used in older fluorescent lamps. These ballasts have a low
cycle rate that causes vibrations that account for the humming
sound you might hear in an older light.
Different
kinds of ballasts
Electronic
ballast
a) Electrical connection is by direct wiring to a quick connecting
terminal block
b) Metal housing
c) Earth connected
d) Low power consumption
e) Glare-free and no noise
f) Power factor (pf) as high as 0.99 due to power factory correction
T5
electronic ballast
a) Electrical connection is by direct wiring to a quick connecting
terminal block.
b) Metal or plastic housing; earth connected; low power consumption;
glare-free and no noise.
T8
electronic ballast
a) Modification of high power factor: 0.99C.
b) Total harmonic distortion THD: 10%.
c) Lamp current wave crest ratio: 1.5.
Electronic
hid ballast
a) Modification of high power factor: 0.99C.
b) Total harmonic distortion THD: 10%.
c) Lamp current wave crest ratio: 1.5.
Florescent
lighting ballasts and schools
Many schools in the U.S. have fluorescent light ballasts containing
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The PCBs are contained within
the light ballasts capacitors and in the ballasts' potting material,
which is used for insulation. PCBs are very stable chemical compounds
that do not readily break down. Because of this, they may remain
in the body, causing long-lasting toxic effects over many years.
As these fixtures
age, they may be prone to leaking or catching on fire. A ballast
leak or fire could happen at any time, without warning. If it
happens in a busy classroom in the middle of the day, a school
could be looking at long-term health impacts on many students
and staff. Even a small, isolated leak may pose health issues
for the staff or students who discover it. Schools also face potentially
huge costs to clean up after a ballast leak or fire.
To avoid these
problems, EPA recommends removing PCB-containing ballasts as part
of a complete lighting retrofit. A complete lighting retrofit
includes removing old fluorescent tubes as well as ballasts and
replacing the entire lighting fixture with more energy-efficient
fixtures. New fixtures reduce energy costs and improve lighting
quality.
Just a few
thoughts as you are outfitting your kitchen. There are many more
kitchen articles in our kitchen
section. There is more specific information in the links at
the beginning of this article. They can guide you where you need
to go.
Eat,
Drink, and be Merry.
The kitchen is probably the place where you will spend most of
your time. Make it worth it!
Counter
Space - Is Great!
Opening up counter space brings back the usefulness.
Pots,
and Pans
The right tools makes the job much easier and more enjoyable.
More
Articles...
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