Electrical Control Gear for Lamps

Definition

Device(s) in the electric lamp circuit of gas discharge and solid-state lamps which limits the lamp current to the required value and ensures that the lamp can be started and once started can be operated stably over a more extended period.

The devices needed are called igniters, ballasts, and, for LEDs, drivers.

Igniters

Most of the gas discharge lamps have such a high internal resistance that they need a voltage peak, higher than the normal operating voltage, to initiate the discharge.

Igniters for Fluorescent Lamps

In most fluorescent lamp circuits, the electrodes are preheated for a few seconds before a high-voltage peak is applied across the lamp to initiate the discharge. Preheating of the electrodes facilitates the emission of electrons. Glow-switch starters are often used for this purpose. However, their harsh peak voltages have an adverse effect on lamp life. Electronic starters with exactly the same functions as the glow-switch starter, but with a better-controlled...