Venture^® now offers newly-engineered ballasts fine-tuned specifically for use with our Uni-form^® pulse start lamps. These innovative, reduced current crest factor ballasts combine with the unique formed body arc tube lamp to provide the longer life, higher lumen output, quicker starting and better efficacy our customers demand.

Three types of ballasts work with the Uni-form^® pulse start family of systems: ignitor constant wattage autotransformer (CWA), 277 volt reactor and regulated lag ballasts. In each, a high voltage ignitor provides the breakdown of the gases to jump start the arc, a much more effective method than the old starter electrode technology. The outcome is more reliable cold starting, reduced arc tube wall darkening, and improved electrode performance. The end results are improved lumen maintenance and longer lamp life.

Venture's^® pulse start controller current reactor ballasts for use on 277 volt circuits are the latest addition to our product line. These energy saving reactors reduce ballast losses about 50% by eliminating the need for voltage transformation. As an example, a 350 watt ballast will use only 30 watts compared to 60 watts in standard 400 watt CWA ballasts. The current crest factor is only 1.4 to 1.5, resulting in excellent lumen maintenance. These reactor ballasts minimize the current draw during lamp starting and open circuit conditions. As a result, system energy savings can exceed 25%.

Venture's^® pulse start low current crest factor ignitor CWA ballasts yield additional benefits over standard CWA ballasts, because of their improved crest factor design. These new designs all offer lower current crest factor, down to 1.6 (compared to old technology 1.8 current crest factor). The use of an ignitor allows quicker cold starting and faster hot restarts, a proven factor in longer lamp life and superior lumen maintenance.

The regulated lag ballasts on the market today offer the greatest level of control over lamp wattage fluctuations as a result of input line voltage variation. This ballast is larger and heavier than either the controlled current reactor or the ignitor CWA, but it is employed in heavy industrial applications where users are concerned with the effect of voltage fluctuations on lamp life.

Uni-Form^® Pulse Start Systems Technology

What is important about systems technology? New high performance systems from Venture^® represent a major advancement in metal halide technology. Our integrated lamp-ballast-ignitor designs work together to provide optimum lighting for the application. The changes made both in arc chamber construction and ballast design optimize the performance of the whole system. Venture^® offers a vast array of high performance pulse start systems to suit virtually any lighting need. Uni-Form^® pulse start ballast technologies and formed body arc tubes plus newly engineered controls customized in a system package represent the next generation of metal halide lighting.