Definitions

Question 1

Group that generates voluntary product performance standards for many U.S. industries.

Answer 1

ANSI (American National Standards Institute)

Question 2

Circuitry used to detect and limit arcing of ballast output leads.

Answer 2

Anti-Arc

Question 3

Circuitry used to prevent striations or spiraling in energy-saving lamps due to low temperature or low current operation.

Answer 3

Anti-Striation

Question 4

Circuitry used to restart the lamps without resetting the power to the ballast.

Answer 4

Auto-Restrike

Question 5

Device for starting and regulating fluorescent and high intensity discharge (HID) lamps.

Answer 5

Ballast

Question 6

Marking on ballast that shows compliance with Federal Ballast Energy Law.

Answer 6

Circle-E

Question 7

The amount of light that the lamp produces after it has operated for approximately 40 percent of its rated life. Also called Mean Lumens.

Answer 7

Design Lumens

Question 8

A device that produces light by using an electric arc, rather than a filament, to create illumination.

Answer 8

Discharge Lamp

Question 9

Lumen output per unit of power supplied to the lamp, measured in lumens per watt.

Answer 9

Efficacy

Question 10

Emission of visible light by the absorption of energy from another source.

Answer 10

Fluorescence

Question 11

Measure of light level on a surface that is being illuminated.

Answer 11

Foot Candles

Question 12

Emission of visible light by a heated material.

Answer 12

Incandenscence

Question 13

Electromagnetic or electronic ballast that ignites the lamps without heating the lamp filaments.

Answer 13

Instant Start Ballast

Question 14

Fluorescent lamp that requires no filament heating before igniting and producing light.

Answer 14

Instant Start Lamp

Question 15

The decrease in lumen output of a light source over time. Also called Lumen Maintenance.

Answer 15

Lumen Depreciation

Question 16

Electromagnetic ballast that requires separate starter in order to ignite the lamp.

Answer 16

Preheat Ballast

Question 17

Electronic ballast that provides precise heating of the lamp filaments and tightly controls the pre—heat duration before applying starting voltage to ignite the lamp.

Answer 17

Programmed Start Ballast

Question 18

Electromagnetic or electronic ballast that provides both filament heating and starting voltage to the lamp at the same time in order to ignite the lamp.

Answer 18

Rapid Start Ballast

Question 19

Fluorescent lamp, which has single pin contacts, that requires no filament heating to ignite.

Answer 19

Slimline Lamp

Question 20

Spiraling or swirling of fluorescent lamps at initial turn on or energy-saving lamps at low temperature or low current.

Answer 20

Striation

Question 21

Industry standard names for fluorescent lamps (T= tubular with the number that follows representing the diameter in 1/8 inch increments).

Answer 21

T12, T10, T8, T5

Question 22

Electromagnetic ballast that starts and operates preheat lamps similar to a rapid start lamp. No separate starter is needed to ignite the lamp.

Answer 22

Trigger Start Ballast

Question 23

A type of ballast circuit that includes a transformer to change the input voltage up or down to meet the voltage requirements of the lamp. The output windings of the transformer, called the secondary, share a portion of the primary winding.

Answer 23

Autotransformer Ballast

Question 24

Method of describing the “color” of a lamp’s light output. See also Color Temperature.

Answer 24

Chromaticity

Question 25

An international system used to rate a lamp’s ability to render an object’s color. The higher the CRI (0-100 scale), the truer colors are rendered.

Answer 25

Color Rendering Index (CRI)

Question 26

The term used to describe the "whiteness" of a lamp’s light output. Color temperature is expressed in degrees Kelvin (°K) because it is related to the physical temperature of the filament in incandescent lamps.

Answer 26

Color Temperature

Question 27

Another term for an electromagnetic ballast.

Answer 27

Core and Coil Ballast

Question 28

If the power to an operating HID lamp is turned off and then immediately turned on, the HID lamp does not re-light immediately like an incandescent lamp.

Answer 28

Hot Restart Time

Question 29

A device used within the ballast circuit to generate high-voltage electrical pulses needed to start high pressure sodium and some metal halide lamps

Answer 29

Ignitor (starter)

Question 30

The total power input to the ballast which includes lamp watts and ballast losses. The total power input to the fixture is the value to be used when calculating cost of energy and air conditioning loads.

Answer 30

Input Watts

Question 31

The median time it takes for a lamp to burn out.

Answer 31

Life [Average Rated]

Question 32

The measure of the efficacy (efficiency) of a lamp. The amount of light (lumens) produced by each lamp watt.

Answer 32

Lumens/Watt [lpw], also Luminous Efficacy

Question 33

Initial light output of a new lamp. For HID lamps the initial lumen rating is based on the light output of the lamp after it has be seasoned (burned or "aged") for 100 hours.

Answer 33

[Initial] Lumens

Question 34

Lamp light output (lumens) measured at 40% of rated lamp life for fluorescent, compact fluorescent and metal halide lamps and 50% of rated life for mercury and HPS lamps.

Answer 34

[Mean] Lumens

Question 35

The voltage measured at the lamp socket (HID or CFL) or across the lamp holders (fluorescent) when the lamp is not present. The open circuit voltage is generated by the ballast and is needed to start a lamp when power is turned on.

Answer 35

Open Circuit Voltage [OCV]

Question 36

The orientation of an HID lamp in a lighting fixture such as base up, base down, horizontal, or universal. The light output, operating life, and sometimes the safety of many HID lamps are affected by the burning position of the lamp.

Answer 36

Operating Position or Burn Position

Question 37

The measure of the ability of a ballast or ballast circuit type to control (regulate) a lamp’s operating wattage as the input voltage varies from nominal.

Answer 37

Regulation, lamp wattage