Recent improvements have been made in the development of the T5 ballast and bulb, extending the lamp’s versatility, efficiency and long term savings. The electronic ballasts of these lamps originated in Europe and were later introduced to the States during the nineties. In contemporary times, the T5 has developed quite the market in the US likely due to their incredible effectiveness and money-saving properties.

The difference between T5 fixtures and their T8 and T12 counterparts has to do with more than just size. Although T5 lamps are about 40% smaller than T8 lamps, they are completely capable of containing just as much and sometimes more light in a smaller area. To put it another way, more T8 lamps are needed to create the same output as T5 models. T5 fixtures may initially cost more than T8 models, but the savings is in the long run. T5 lamps tend to be of lower maintenance than the other options, provide more light and cut down on long term lighting costs.

An electronic ballast or control gear is a device intended to limit the amount of current in an electrical circuit; it stabilizes the current through the use of an electric load. Ballasts can be extraordinarily simple such as the ballasts used with neon lighting or light-emitting diodes or highly complex, such as the computerized, remote-controlled ballasts often associated with fluorescent lamps. Commonly, ballasts are used when a device presents a negative resistance to the power supple. That is, if left connected to a consistent voltage, the device would continue to draw an increasing amount of current until it cause the supply to fail. Ballast prevents power failure by creating a positive resistance which limits the current. It therefore allows a negative-resistance device to work without drawing too much power from the supply, creating stability. A ballast of the electronic variety utilizes solid state electronic circuitry in order to create the proper starting conditions that will power one or more florescent lamps.

There are a few types of ballasts available such as Program Start, Rapid Start and Instant Start. The latter lights T5 lamps by using a significant amount of voltage when the light is first turned on, which may reduce a lamp’s longevity especially if the light is turned on and off with frequency.

Rapid Start heats the cathodes and introduces voltage all at once. It offers both a long life for the lamp and more cycle life, but uses a bit more energy than the Instant Start.

Program Start ballast may be the better option, as they incorporate an exact starting sequence which lights the lamp by preheating the lamp cathode before applying voltage across the lamp. Although more expensive than Instant Start ballasts, Program Start ballasts can actually extend the life of the lamp. Another added bonus is that manufacturers generally offer warranties for lamps lit with Program Start ballasts. Obviously, the best sort of T5 lamp is of the pricier variety but again, users will save money in the long run.

Author Bio: Penny Lane recently started purchasing lighting supplies such as a T5 ballast online because of the convenience. She ordered Electronic Ballasts online for her office.

Category: Business
Keywords: T5 ballast,electronic ballasts