The ballast referenced is a T5 14W circuit built for the linear tube fluorescents in commercial and shop applications. They have end-of-life issues different from CFLs
Though related, I think this circuit is chasing problem of low population as I understand new fluorescent ballasts have requirements to be more EMI and otherwise future modulation distribution compatible. Hopefully, this problem is addressed by smarter self-protection circuits.
The takeaway should be that as engineers with low wattage circuits we need to understand that PWM and boost power supplies can create fire hazards that need to be anticipated early in design.
However, their own refutation text is cause for alarm:
CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) don't burn out the way incandescent light bulbs do. Instead, as they near the ends of their lives, they grow dimmer. While some CFL bulbs merely stop emitting light when they finally quit working, others kick the bucket with a dramatic "pop"! sound and then vent a distinct odor. A few even release a bit of smoke at their termination. Sometimes the bases of the bulbs turn black. This seemingly cataclysmic reaction has to do with the breakdown of the bulb's ballast, which is contained in the part of the bulb that is screwed into the socket. As the bulb ages and degrades, so does its ballast. Yet as scary as odors, smoke, and even blackening of the base of the bulb might be, these lamps are fireproof and are meant to fail safely at the end of their lives.
An incandescent lightbulb does not turn black, does not emit smoke or an odor when it fails naturally.
How is this better than an incandescent bulb? Maybe the technology described in this article prevents the failure symptoms listed above. I hope so; it might improve the image of the bulbs.
The alleged cost savings aren't there. The light given isn't as bright. They fail in a messy and annoying manner. I forget why they're being forced on us.
TJ, I had not heard that. My experience with CFLs is that they do not last nearly as long as rated. I expect that the reason is that they are cycled far more often than they are designed for. We do that with incandescant bulbs and think nothing of it. Might this overvoltage protection approach help with that problem?
Are compact flourescent lightbulbs protected with this technology? If they are, why are there so many anecdotes of them overheating, burning, and arcing when they fail?
CFL bulbs have an overall very negative reputation because of this.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
2 
