
Application
Notes
C
ONTROL
I
NTEGRATED
C
IRCUIT
D
ESIGNERS’
M
ANUAL
C-59
AN-995A
Introduction
Electronic ballast circuits have recently undergone a
revolution in sophistication from the early bipolar de-
signs of ten years ago. This has been brought about
partly by the advent of power MOSFET switches with
their inherent advantages in efficiency, but mainly by in-
centives and utility rebate programs sponsored by do-
mestic and foreign governments. New IEC requirements
have also spurred the design of high power factor bal-
lasts and are starting to impose further restrictions on
crest factor, ballast factor and life expectancy (see IEC
555 Standard.)
Until power semiconductors allowed for today’s inno-
vations in ballast design, coil and core fluorescent bal-
lasts were manufactured in large quanitities by a few key
suppliers.
Now there are hundreds of electronics companies that
are “in the ballast business” and more are joining their
ranks all the time.
Most electronic ballasts use two power switches in a
totem pole (half-bridge) topology and the tube circuits
consist of L-C series resonant circuits with the lamp(s)
across one of the reactances. Figure 1 shows this basic
topology.
In this circuit the switches are power MOSFETs driven
to conduct alternately by windings on a current trans-
Electronic Ballasts Using the Cost-Saving
IR215X Drivers
Figure 1.
Electronic ballast using transformer drive
L
+
-
C
former. The primary of this transformer is driven by the
current in the lamp circuit and operates at the resonant
frequency of L-C.
Unfortunately, the circuit is not self starting and must
be pulsed by the DIAC connected to the gate of the
lower MOSFET.
After the initial turn-on of the lower switch, oscillation
sustains and a high frequency square wave (30 - 80 kHz)
excites the L-C resonant circuit. The sinusoidal voltage
across C is magnified by the Q at resonance and devel-
ops sufficient amplitude to strike the lamp, which then
provides flicker-free illumination.
This basic circuit has been the standard for electronic
ballasts for many years, but has the following inherent
shortcomings:
1) not self starting
2) poor switch times
3) labor intensive torroidal current transformer
4) not amenable to dimming
5) expensive to manufacture in large quantity.
Next Generation Ballast
These criticisms have all been resolved in the new,
cost-saving International Rectifier IR215X Control IC
series.