The age of electronic ballasts for HID pulse start lamps is upon us and the benefits are numerous. This new combination delivers optimal energy efficiency, superior quality of light, peak performance and lower installation and ownership costs. All this adds up to the best value.

Best Lumen Maintenance
Mean lumen output for pulse start lamps operated with electronic ballasts is 13% higher than the same lamp operated with magnetic ballasts. The pulse start lamp and electronic ballast combination delivers over 50% more mean lumens than a probe start lamp with magnetic ballast. Combining higher lumen output of pulse start lamps and superior lumen maintenance from operation with electronic ballasts delivers one of the highest mean lumen output per watt that is even higher than T5HO lamps.

Higher end of life lumens
Better mean lumen maintenance also translates to higher end of life lumens. Pulse start lamps operated with electronic ballasts only depreciate to 80% of initial output and maintain 93% of targeted mean lumens. A more consistent level of light has fewer lost lumens up front from over lighting and higher light levels at end of life. Additional savings can be realized by using light level sensors or other dimming controls to maintain a constant light level dimming the luminaires.

Lower ballast losses
Electronic components have less power loss than conventional steel core and copper wound ballasts. Typical losses of 50 to 60 watts for 320 to 400 watt systems are reduced to 20 to 25 watts with electronic ballasts which helps cut electricity costs. Electronic design also delivers a near perfect power factor to help reduce demand costs.

Lower Cost of Ownership
More mean lumens per fixture equals fewer fixtures to provide the same light levels. Fewer fixtures require less energy, fewer lamps to replace and fewer ballasts to maintain, which means a lighting system with a lower cost of ownership.

Quicker start up
A high frequency starting pulse produced by the electronic ballast provides faster start up with smoother and more even ramp up to full output. Full light output time is nearly cut in half for cold start up, which is reached in a minute and a half and in three to four minutes for a hot re-strike.

Flicker free operation
A higher operating frequency and high frequency starting produces a stable arc stream that eliminates flickering that can occur with HID lamps operated with magnetic ballasts. The higher frequency creates a safer working environment by eliminating the stroboscopic effect that can occur with 60hz lighting, which can cause rotating machinery to appear stationary to human perception.

Temperature stability
Light output for metal halide lamps does not vary as ambient lamp temperature fluctuates unlike T-8 and T-5 lamp output that can decrease 15% with a 150C rise above optimum ambient temperature and decrease 25% with a 150C drop below optimum ambient.

Silent operation
The electronic ballast operates the lamp at over 100Khz, which is beyond the audible range of the human ear.

Variable Dimming
The electronic ballast can be dimmed continuously from 100% lamp power down to 50% power. Light output of pulse start MH lamps over this range will vary from 100% down to 23% light output.

Dimming Controls
The industry standard 0-10VDC output is utilized for dimming control, which is compatible with 0-10VDC fluorescent control devices. Lithonia Lighting can deliver a complete controls package offering with the Synergy, Sequel, and Digital Equinox product lines that is compatible with the SH, SX and SPG electronic ballast product line. ISD-BC DEQ BC DEQ LC SYNERGY