China manufacturer of magnetic ballasts for metal halide flood lights & hps flood lights

For many users, ballasts are a mystery. Electrical distribution systems deliver fixed AC voltage (50 or 60 Hz) and expect connected electrical loads to limit the current drawn from the source. Low pressure and high pressure arc discharge lamps exhibit "negative impedance." Without a ballast, the arc will extinguish or draw increasing current until some circuit element burns up. Ballasts provide system stability by limiting the current that can be drawn. Ballasts use inductive and capacitive components because they impede alternating current with little power consumption. Resistive components generate high loss and are usually avoided. This is true of conventional electromagnetic ballasts as well as electronic ballasts.

Generally speaking, mercury lamps must be operated on mercury ballasts and metal halide lamps must be operated on metal halide ballasts. Failure to do so will compromise performance of the lamp system.

Consequences of operating mercury lamps on metal halide ballasts:

· Higher LPW

  Shorter Lamp Life

· Ballast Incompatibility

Consequences of operating metal halide lamps on mercury ballasts:

· Lower LPW

· Shorter Lamp Life

· Poor Lumen Maintenance

· Ballast Incompatibility

Some ballast manufacturers no longer make mercury ballasts. They make metal halide ballasts and label them for both mercury and metal halide. For example, if a ballast is labeled for both 400W mercury and 400W metal halide