Fluorescent ballast efficiency
Fluorescent ballast efficiency
(OP)
Hi,
Does anybody know how to calculate efficiency for fluorescent ballast? I need it for room heat load calculations.
TIA
Does anybody know how to calculate efficiency for fluorescent ballast? I need it for room heat load calculations.
TIA






RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
BEF = BF/input power; where BF = ballast factor
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
Ballast Efficacy Factor (BEF) useed to compare two ballasts (AFAIK). Is it any way to get to efficiency from BEF?
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
Its generally the case if you are providing info to an HVAC designer/engineer: to THEM, a Watt is a Watt is a Watt to them regardless of the eff. of the device. I disagree with this approach, but then again, I failed thermo a couple times in college.
That being said: what about the heat being dissapated by the bulbs?
Let's say you have a fluorscent fixture with an electronic ballast that drives two T-8 32W bulbs. You will need to know either the input power to the ballast, or the ballast factor (BF) to determine the amount of total Watts (and don't forget pf).
Example: of two T-8 32W bulbs in fixture with 80% BF and .95 pf ballast:
Total Watts in space = .8 X 2 X 32 X .95 = 48.64 Watts
I don't agree that amount of "heat" is actually released into a room (or space), but in my experience, that is how an HVAC engineer will interpret.
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
Have I got this right?
Amps in, times volts in, times power factor?
What goes in, comes out, regardless of efficiency.
An inefficient ballast will draw more current for the same output so the formula does not need to consider efficiency if it considers current in.
respectfully
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
I called tech.support at Universal ballasts (htt
Loses = Watts in – Total lamp wattage X Ballast factor
If we will take B232IUNVHP-B ballast (http:/
Loses = 59-(2*32)*0.88 = 2.68 Wt (power factor >.99 assume =1)
Efficiency = 95.5%
For ballast B259IUNVHP-A (http:/
Loses = 113-(2*59)*0.88 = 9.16 Wt (power factor >.99 assume =1)
Efficiency = 91.9%
RE: Fluorescent ballast efficiency
For heat load calculation amount of heat produced by lamp-ballast combination equal to ballast wattage (IMHO).