The Various Applications of UV Light Ballast — ISL Products

How does it work?

A uv light ballast is an electronic device used to regulate both current and voltage in an electrical circuit. Equipment and assemblies containing gas discharge lamps (ie. Mercury, Amalgam, Fluorescent, etc) use electronic ballasts. In the past such systems were magnetic, operating via magnetic induction.

Ballasts made today are predominantly electronic, meaning they can be very compact. They also produce very low noise levels, in addition to greatly reducing pulsing from the lamp, which in turn results in a very long lamp life. Ballasts can be specifically designed for different lamp types to ensure optimal performance of the specific UVC bulb used.

• Instant Start:

High voltages are applied directly to the electrodes without the use of heat. This sparks the lamp immediately and the heating of the electrodes is achieved by the electrical arc within the lamp. This mechanism is the least expensive, but it could lead to the shortest lamp life expectancy.

• Rapid Start:

A high voltage current is applied to the electrodes simultaneously. The current heats the electrode, but because there isn’t any time between the two mechanisms, the electrodes can spark before they are heated sufficiently. This method of starting is effectively an “in-between’’ of the other two starting mechanisms. It is more cost-efficient than a programmed start, and not as hard on the electrodes as an instant start. This is the most common start type utilized.

• Programmed Start:

A voltage is applied to the electrode that is too low to start a lamp, but does preheat the electrodes. After a set amount of time has elapsed, a high sparking voltage is then applied. These two steps are pre-programmed into the ballast by the manufacturer, based on the components of the ballasts circuitry. This can delay starting the lamp by a few seconds but it greatly improves lamp life, especially in applications where a lamp is switched off and on multiple times per day.

Additional Applications

UVC Germicidal Spectrum is the most potentially dangerous form of UV light and has a wavelength between 180–260 nm. The emitted radiation destroys the DNA of microorganisms, preventing reproduction and causing rapid cell death. They are used commercially for applications such as water purification, surface disinfection and sterilization.

When used for disinfection of produce, it prolongs shelf life, preserves nutritional value and can eliminate various health hazards. Germicidal ultraviolet lights are supplied in the form of mercury or amalgam-based tubes. Though ultraviolet germicidal lamps appear similar to fluorescent lamps, they are very different in composition, hence the need for a special ballast.

For over 15 years, ISL Products have been designing and manufacturing UV light ballasts specifically for Mercury and Amalgam based ultraviolet lamps, integrated into various germicidal applications. UV ballast manufactured by ISL Products can operate with either AC or DC input voltages, which it can then transform to between a couple hundred, to a couple of thousand-volts of high frequency output to light a lamp. Any solution can be tailored to your precise requirements by ISL Products.

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