What are Good Applications for a Rapid Start Ballast?

Fluorescent lighting fixtures equipped with a rapid start ballast are among the most modern in use today. These fixtures are energy efficient, quick starting and if they use an electronic rapid-start ballast, will emit no humming noise and have no flicker at startup or during their operation. Learn more about the best places to use a light fixture with a rapid-start ballast from the ideas below.

How Does a Rapid Start (RS) Ballast Differ from Others?

The RS ballast sends out a high voltage to start the illumination of the inert gases inside the fluorescent lamp while at the same time, warming the electrodes to help them maintain the illumination once they have reached a sufficient temperature. The electrodes are warmed continuously by the ballast once the light fixture is emitting light. While this consumes additional energy, it reduces stress on both the electrodes and tubes, and will extend the life of the fluorescent fixture by several hundred hours. Rapid start ballasts can be either magnetic, with a basic transformer to activate the lamp.

Rapid Start Programmable Ballast

This type of advanced rapid start ballast allows the electrodes to be heated to their most efficient operating temperature before any electrical energy is applied to excite the gas molecules to emit light. The number of on-off cycles for the light increases dramatically due to reduced load on the electrodes. The programmable part of this ballast can control the electrode temperature, the frequency of dimming the light and can also link the lights to a motion sensor to dim the lights up to 90% when a room is unoccupied.

Best Uses for Rapid (RS) and Programmable Rapid (PRS) Ballasts

These ballasts work most effectively in light fixtures that need to change their illumination level frequently over the course of a 24 hour day. Hospitals are among the largest customers for these types of lighting systems. Emergency centers, intensive care units, and maternity areas are where flexible light levels that can be adjusted rapidly and easily are most in demand.

Manufacturing warehouses and other locations which use lighting coupled with motion sensor technology for security purposes also install light systems with programmable rapid start ballasts. Conference rooms, meeting centers and auditoriums, where videos and projectors are used frequently during meetings, also benefit from the adjustable light levels made possible by rapid start and programmable rapid start ballasts. These facilities also install filter chokes in their fluorescent lighting systems to minimize hum from vibration of the RS and PRS ballasts when the light is dimmed to below 50% illumination.

Other Advantages of RS and PRS Ballasts

Energy savings and cost reduction are also another advantage of using fluorescent or high intensity light fixtures equipped with RS or PRS ballasts.

Consider installing fluorescent, dimmable lighting systems operated with rapid start or programmable rapid start ballasts in your manufacturing business, office, warehouse, manufacturing or research facility. You will be able to manage light levels for your employees, reduce illumination when areas are not occupied, provide effective lighting for meetings and presentations, and improve security at your premises while saving energy and money.