Street & Outdoor Applications
The ROMlight electronic HID ballast replaces the igniter, capacitor, and transformer components of a conventional (electromagnetic core and coil) ballast with a single, lightweight (80% less) unit that can be mounted within the existing luminaire housings.
The on-board microprocessor
controls the starting voltage,
operating voltage, and
current
that is supplied to the lamp.
Ballast loss is exceptionally
low (5-15W).
Key Considerations
Tests have shown that light levels are increased without increasing energy levels or, light levels
can be maintained with less energy consumed.
The starting current in-rush is controlled to reduce starting shock to lessen lumen depreciation resulting in extended lamp life. Consequently, the lamp replacement interval is increased and maintenance costs are reduced. Once the lamp approaches end of life the ROMlight ballast prevents damage to the fixture by automatically shutting off. Unique ROMport™ allows multi-function ballast control from a single port. For ROMport control feature details see Our Technology.
Lighting is flicker free and without hum.
Value Proposition
The ROMlight electronic HID ballast reduces energy consumption significantly while maintaining ballast
and lamp reliability, light output, and key operating parameters.
The following is extracted from a field test of ROMlight ballasts which was performed by Toronto Hydro:
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report presents the results of a street lighting field test comparing the performance of a new, energy-saving, proprietary electronic ballast with a conventional "core and coil" electromagnetic ballast. Key findings of the field test are:
- Energy Savings: energy savings of 46% over the conventional ballast for similar lighting levels (approximately 11.4 lux)
- Power factor: 0.98 compared to 0.77 for the conventional ballast
- Current: for similar lighting levels, 55% less current than the conventional ballast
- Crest Factor: 1.37 versus 1.47 for the conventional ballast
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 7.3% (stable)
- Voltage: supply levels were approximately the same for both types of ballasts
- Installation: very simple installation; the electronic ballast is packaged as a single, compact metal box with five external connections, weighing 80% less than a conventional ballast and replacing its transformer, capacitor and ignitor
- Maintenance: no maintenance was necessary for any of the units, electronic or conventional
- Annoyances: compared to conventional ballasts, the electronic ballasts produced "flicker-free" lighting, and no "hum"
The new ballast features advanced electronic and micro-processor technology to substantially reduce energy consumption and improve other aspects of lighting system performance including reduced maintenance and greater operational reliability.
The field test was co-ordinated by the Etobicoke office of Toronto Hydro and the Echelon Group. It began in June 1998 and was completed in March 1999 to experience extremes of both summer and winter operating conditions (-23.6°C to +33.5°C; relative humidity 18% to 100%).
The test was performed on a small residential street lighting circuit comprising seven 70 Watt street lights utilizing standard "cobra head" luminaries. The electronic ballasts were easily retrofitted offsite into this equipment. Toronto Hydro staff took weekly readings with ROMlight engineers, and occasionally Echelon representatives, in attendance.
In conclusion, over the test period, the ROMlight electronic ballast reduces energy consumption significantly while maintaining ballast and lamp reliabiility, light output and key operating parameters.
