Digital ballasts and compatible lamps

I have recently been bombarded with a lot of questions about different lamps and their compatibility with electronic ballasts. The main problem is the operating frequency of digital ballasts vs. the operating frequency of traditional magnetic ballasts. Lamp manufacturers have done very little to adapt to the newer technology. Digital ballasts run at a very high Hertz Frequency of about 20,000+hz, where as magnetic ballasts run at a staggering 60hz. Upon their launch the digital ballasts had a lot of reported interference issues, mainly with television, because of the higher hertz operating frequency. Now most digital ballast manufacturers internally shield the ballasts to subdue the higher radio frequency waves.

In order to properly diagnose the problem with lamp compatibility and digital ballasts we need to look at all variables involved.  Magnetic coil core ballasts have been around for years. In order to maintain uniformity in operation and functionality, ANSI (American National Standard Institute), developed a standard for magnetic coil core ballasts. The standard was set at an operation frequency of 60hz. This allowed lamp manufacturers to easily make lamps to operate at a frequency of 60hz, to be compatible with the ANSI standard ballasts.

Now enter the new world of the digital or electronic ballasts. This technology is so new that there is no ANSI standard on electronic ballasts. Some ballasts may have an operating frequency of 20,000hz and some may even have an operation frequency of 100,000hz. What this does is create a bunch of headaches with lamp manufacturers trying to manufacturer a bulb that is compatible with digital ballasts. So to market a bulb to be compatible with electronic ballasts is really false advertising. A lamp may be compatible with one brand of ballast but not fair so well with another brand of ballast.

I spoke with Mark Thomas of EYE lighting and he told me some very interesting information. He said that EYE Hortilux lamps are compatible both with both magnetic coil core ballasts and digital ballasts as are many other lamps on the market. The only bulb that he doesn't recommend using with digital ballasts are the new EYE dual-arc bulbs. He also verified for me a lot of information that I used in this article.

The new digital ballasts offer some advantages such as quiet operation, better efficiency, less heat, and smaller size. It seems like some manufacturers are taking steps to best utilize the new ballast technology while others are at a stand still. When shopping for a new ballast take this into account and be sure to choose the ballast that is right for your personal application. EYE Lighting is introducing an eballast compatible lamp with enhanced operating frequency to run with digital ballasts in the very near future, so be on the lookout!