American Ballasts Introduces Line Of NEMA Approved Multi-Voltage Ballasts
American Ballast has developed a line of NEMA approved multi-voltage ballasts. Said to provide up to 45% energy costs savings in a wide range of applications including general, decorative, retail and indirect lighting, the energy-efficient electronic ballasts are designed for retrofits installations or new construction.
The NEMA Premium Electronic Ballast Program is said to provide the method for identifying the most efficient T8 fluorescent ballasts available in the market and identifies models that are consistent with the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) specifications for high performance lamps and ballasts, tested in accordance with ANSI C82 Standards. Qualifying products have a special mark to help lighting professionals and end users identify the market’s highest performing electronic ballast products that will help support energy-efficient objectives.
American Ballast’s NEMA approved multi-voltage ballasts operate one, two, three, or four T8 lamps at an installer-simplicity universal input voltage of 108-305V. The electronic ballasts also feature parallel lamp operation, which enables lamps to continue operating normally in the event of a single lamp failure. The ballasts can utilize the same wiring and mounting footprint as conventional ballasts, negating the need for any expensive electrical work.
"Our new NEMA approved high-efficiency electronic ballasts use less input watts than standard efficiency electronic ballast and consume less energy than Rapid-start ballasts," said Eric Hsieh, American Ballast’s R&D Director. "The high-efficiency series allows our customers to experience maximum light output combined with minimum power usage."
The electronic ballasts feature Instant Start technology with parallel circuit configuration and are engineered to outperform other instant start ballasts as well as rapid start ballasts in short-cycle and frequently switched applications. The company states that the ballast series has exceptional power quality with a power factor of >98% and a THD of 10%. The ballast series also features silent, flicker-free operation and anti-striation control creates an even level of light output. The lumen output for these NEMA approved ballasts is 0.87. The minimum lamp starting temperature is -18°C.
