US 6,320,328 B1 · Method and apparatus for retrofitting gas discharge lamp ballast for use with gas discharge lamp having different power rating

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided to retrofit a gas discharge lamp ballast designed for use with a first lamp having a first power rating to be used with a second lamp having a second power rating. The ballast has a core, a coil and a serially-connected ballast capacitance device and is characterized by a first net impedance of the ballast reactance to allow operation of the first lamp in an operating range in which the first lamp is designed to operate. When the first lamp is replaced with a second lamp having a different lamp impedance than the first lamp, the capacitance of the ballast capacitance device is selected so as to change the first net impedance of the ballast to a second net impedance which allows the ballast to maintain proper operation of the second lamp in accordance with its specifications and rating.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of retrofitting a gas discharge lamp ballast designed for use with a first lamp having a first power rating to be used with a second lamp having a second power rating, the ballast having a core, a coil and a serially-connected ballast capacitance device and being characterized by a first net impedance of the ballast reactance which allows operation of said first lamp in accordance with the operating parameters with which said first lamp was designed to operate, said ballast being connected to a power source to supply a waveform to operate said first lamp, the method comprising the step of:

replacing said first lamp with said second lamp, said second lamp having a different lamp impedance than said first lamp and different operating parameters with respect to said first lamp;
and
changing the capacitance of said ballast capacitance device so as to change said first net impedance of said ballast to a second net impedance of said ballast reactance, said second net impedance allowing said ballast to maintain operation of said second lamp in accordance with said different operating parameters for which said second lamp was designed to operate.

A lighting device powered by an alternating current power source comprising:

a first lamp;
a ballast connected to said first lamp and said power source, said ballast being designed to operate in conjunction with a second lamp having different operating characteristics with respect to said first lamp, said first lamp being substituted for said second lamp in said lighting device, said ballast being provided with a coil, a core and a serially-connected ballast capacitor and being characterized by a first net impedance of ballast reactance which allows operation of said second lamp in accordance with operating parameters with which said second lamp was designed to operate, said first lamp being designed to operate in accordance with different operating parameters;
and
a retrofit capacitance device connected to said ballast in place of said ballast capacitor, said retrofit capacitance device being selected to change the reactance provided by said ballast capacitance device so as to change said first net impedance of said ballast to a second net impedance which allows said ballast to maintain operating of said first lamp in accordance with said different operating parameters.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for retrofitting gas discharge lamp ballast for use with gas discharge lamp having different power rating

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for retrofitting gas discharge lamp ballast for use with gas discharge lamp having different power rating

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16