Slim Ballast Vs. Regular Ballast

What the Ballast Does

• The ballast controls the amount of power going to the bulb in a fluorescent or HID light. The ballast provides the initial increase in voltage to light the lamp and the lower, sustained power to keep the light on. Various types of ballasts are available for lights.

Types of Ballasts

• There are three main types of ballasts, based on how each operates. Magnetic ballasts use a magnetic coil to control the amount of power going to the light. Hybrid ballasts combine electricity with a magnetic coil to make a more energy-efficient ballast than the magnetic coil alone. These might be used in fluorescent lamps, but they are surpassed in popularity for fluorescent lamps by electronic ballasts. Electronic ballasts, also called solid-state, are the smallest, most energy efficient ballasts available, but they can also cause the most electronic interference with nearby appliances.

Slim Ballasts

• Slim ballasts are used with T5 fluorescent lights in narrow fixtures. The electronic ballast is slimmer than regular ballasts, but there are some downsides to the light operation. Compared to a regular T8 fluorescent light, the T5 has a 60 percent higher surface area-to-brightness ratio, according to "Building Systems for Interior Designers." These lights burn so brightly and efficiently that they require glare shielding to keep them from being too bright. All of the problems inherent with electronic ballasts are seen in electronic ballasts with a slim design.

Regular Ballasts

• Regular ballasts can be either larger magnetic or smaller electronic ballasts. Magnetic ballasts compared to the slim electronic ballasts are able to operate at a wider range of temperatures, do not interfere with electronics and cost less. Regular electronic ballasts are larger than slim ballasts, but they can be used for T8 fluorescent lights, which are the most common used.