Download Dimming Electronic Fluorescent Ballasts

APPLICATION
GUIDE
Dimming Electronic Fluorescent Ballasts
The following guide details the equipment and methods employed by Strand Lighting to
control the various electronic dimmable fluorescent ballasts on the market. All major
ballast manufacturer’s products have been tested for compatibility with our equipment,
except where indicated in the notes. While there are a number of smaller or more
specialized manufacturers of ballasts, most follow one of the control standards described
below.
In strictest terms, most of the ballasts listed below are not dimmable, but in fact
controllable. The various outputs that we send to them are simply used as control
signals, which the ballasts utilize to dim themselves to the appropriate level. Therefore,
it is critical to select the correct control interface as described below.
The interfaces that Strand employs are as follows:
1. Standard SLD, CD80SV or Digital Environ 90 120v incandescent dimmer module.
Hard-fired modules are not required. Do not specify high rise time chokes.
2. Standard SLD, CD80SV or Digital Environ 90 120v incandescent dimmer module,
connected to an ELVI-1000 low voltage (reverse phase) interface. Driving this
ballast type with a forward phase output from a standard dimmer module may cause
damage to the ballast.
3. Digital Environ 90 277v dimmer module. Special order; contact your local Strand
representative for details.
4. Strand Lighting electronic fluorescent ballast controller (EFBC), controlled by 010vdc analog (available in 120v and 277v versions).
5. EFBC-4L 4 circuit Lutron interface board, controlled by 0-10vdc analog or DMX-512
(120/277v selectable). Each interface can control up to (4) circuits.
The ballast models and appropriate control interfaces are:
Manufacturer
Model
Voltage
Interface
Advance
Advance
Energy Savings
Energy Savings
Energy Savings
Lightolier
Lutron
Lutron
Lutron
Lutron
Magnatek
Prescolite
Sylvania
(Motorola)
Mark VII
Mark X
DIM-E
Analog SuperDim 10
Digital SuperDim
PowerSpec HDF
Hi-lume
Eco-10 (ECO-Series)
Eco-10 (TVE-Series)
Tu-Wire
Ballastar
Intelect
Quicktronic Dim
(Helios)
120/277v
120/277v
120v
120/277v
120/277v
120/277v
120/277v
120/277v
120/277v
120v
120/277v
120/277v
120/277v
Notes
4
1 (120v) / 3 (277v)
2
4
None
None
5
5
4
1 (120v) / 3 (277v)
4
4
4
Application Guide Published by the Architectural Product Group of Strand Lighting
18111 South Santa Fe Ave Rancho Dominguez CA 90221
January 2001
Page 1 of 2
©2001 Strand Lighting
Application Guide
Dimming Electronic Fluorescent Ballasts
Notes:
The EFBC supplies a buffered control voltage and a cut-off relay. A separate 20A
branch feed is required which powers both the interface and the fluorescent circuit it
is controlling. If space is available in the dimmer rack(s), constant modules may be
used for this purpose.
The Dim-E series of ballasts, as well as the ELVI-1000 interface are only
manufactured in 120v versions.
The EFBC-4L supplies a pulse width modulated control voltage and a cut-off relay.
A separate 20A branch feed is required for each fluorescent circuit, as well as a
dedicated feed for the interface itself. If space is available in the dimmer rack(s),
constant modules may be used for this purpose.
The PowerSpec HDF ballast uses a proprietary pulse-width modulated control
voltage, and cannot at present be controlled using the EFBC-4L Hi-Lume inteface.
The 0-10vdc analog signal may be generated from a Microcontrol station, a DMX
demultiplexer, an Outlook Digital Network Interface, or the analog outputs of a
CD80SV (max. 12 per cabinet) or Digital Environ 90 (max. 2 per cabinet).
The Digital SuperDim ballast uses proprietary communications, and is controlled by
that manufacturer’s AddressPro digital dimming system. No external interface
exists at this time.
Osram Sylvania purchased Motorola’s Lighting Division in September 2000, and is
now labeling the former Motorola ballast products as Sylvania. Both of the brand
names and model #’s will appear on the ballasts, at least for the foreseeable future.
Application Guide Published by the Architectural Systems Group of Strand Lighting
18111 South Santa Fe Ave Rancho Dominguez CA 90221
November 2000
Page 2 of 2
©2000 Strand Lighting