Electronic ballasts - important components in photovoltaically powered lighting systems

In the paper, the operation of fluorescent lamps with electronic ballasts will be described in reference to the particular conditions imposed by a photovoltaic power supply. Information will be given on ignition and operation strategies which extent the lifetime and utility of fluorescent lamps. This will be followed by a summary of the special requirements on electronic ballasts in photovoltaic systems. Various possibilities for assessing the appliances on the basis of a catalogue of characteristics will be presented and discussed. Emphasis was laid on investigating the influence of commercially available electronic ballasts on compact fluorescent lamps ("energy-saving lamps"). Long term tests with appropriate switching cycles were carried out to this purpose.