A single eco-friendly ultra-low-loss magnetic ballast design for a wide range of T5 high-efficient fluorescent lamps

A patent-pending single design of an ultra-low-loss (ULL) magnetic ballast for a T5 high-efficient (T5-HE) fluorescent lamps rated from 14W to 35W is presented. Based on the use of a non-linear physical low-pressure discharge lamp model, it is discovered that the same set of ballast parameters can be chosen for operating T5-HE 14, 21, 28 and 35W lamps at their respective rated power at a mains voltage of 220V-240V. With energy efficiency higher than and lifetime much longer than their electronic counterparts and being recyclable, the ULL ballasts offer a more environmentally-friendly solution to T5-HE lamps than electronic ballasts. This single ballast design offers great convenience to both ballast manufacturers and users because only one product design can cover a range of the most popular T5-HE lamps. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results are included to confirm the validity of the proposal.