Fluorescent Lamp Fixtures and Ballasts

This paper discusses the basic parameters of a fluorescent lighting system that affect the illumination level. The parameters include the thermal performance of the fixture and the ballast factor, voltage regulation, and thermal regulation of the ballast/lamp system. Fixtures determine the minimum lamp-wall temperature of the lamps and are described as hot or cold. That is, the lamp-wall temperatures can vary from 39 to 61 °C. In general, cool fixtures tend to provide higher light levels and are more efficacious for a given ballast/lamp system.

Solid-state fluorescent ballast/lamp systems have been measured and show a variation in light output from 6170 to 3780 lumens for the two-lamp, F-40, T-12, rapid-start lamps. Lighting designers must obtain this information in order to accurately predict illumination levels in a space.