Dimmer Para Lmpara Fluorecente

Un desvanecedor de luces (dimmer) convencional para lmparas incandescentes no

puede ser utilizado directamente para controlar la intensidad luminosa de lmparas
fluorescentes. Sin embargo, puede ser fcilmente adaptado para este propsito
introduciendo las modificaciones indicadas en la figura. En este caso, se omite el
arrancador (starter), mientras que el balasto o reactancia de choque (L1) puede
permanecer en el circuito con el fin de minimizar la interferencia causada por el
mismo. Los filamentos (ctodos) de la lmpara, por su parte, se precalientan por
medio de un transformador con dos devanados separados (T1). Por tanto, el
circuito

no

es

adecuado

para

lmparas

slimline

de

arranque

directo.

El Triac, el diac y sus componentes asociados (r2, P2 y C1) forman un dimmer

convencional de control por fase al cual se le ha suprimido cualquier red de snubber
originalmente incluida en el mismo. El potencimetro P1, que acta como control de
brillo, deber estar dotado de un eje plstico. Si el rango de control resulta
insuficiente, puede experimentar con otros valores de C1. Este ultimo deber tener
un voltaje de trabajo mnimo de 400V. La resistencia R1 (33k /2W) puede ser
sustituida por tres resistencias de 100 k/0.5W en paralelo.

Inversor para tubo fluorescente de 40 Watts con

12 voltios

La barra de ferrita puede ser las que se utilizan para radios de AM de 6 cm de

largo.
Sobre esta barrita bobinamos 60 vueltas de alambre de 1 mm de seccin
esmaltado N 18. Este es el bobinado primario de T1. Luego lo envolvemos con
cinta de papel.
Sobre la barra bobinamos 13 vueltas de alambre de 0.4 mm esmaltado de N 21 y
lo encintamos. Esta bobina es la de retroalimentacion que conecta a la base del
transistor.
Sobre esta misma barra bobinamos ahora las 450 espiras de alambre de 0.4 mm
esmaltado N 22
Esta bobina se realiza en 3 capas de 150 vueltas y entre ellas cubiertas con
cinta.Si el tubo no enciende inicialmente se puede invertir los dos alambres de la
bobina osciladora.

IC fluorescent dimming considerations

Heres what you need to know about dimming fluorescent lighting

BY
International
http://www.irf.com

T.
Rectifier,

El

Segundo,

RIBARICH
CA

This article provides an overview of fluorescent dimming and an application

circuit for low-end small fixture applications ICs where dimming levels below
10% are required and more comprehensive protection features are needed.
The electronic ballast circuit block diagram (see Fig. 1) includes the ac-line
input voltage (typically 220 Vac/50 Hz or 120 Vac/60 Hz), an EMI filter to block
circuit generated switching noise, a rectifier and smoothing capacitor for ac to
dc conversion, a control IC and half-bridge inverter for dc to high-frequency ac
conversion, and the resonant tank circuit to ignite and run the lamp. The
additional circuit block required for dimming is also shown that includes a
dimming reference signal, a lamp current sensing and feedback signal, and a
summing circuit for closed-loop control of the lamp current.

Fig. 1. Dimming electronic ballast block diagram.

The lamp requires a current to preheat the filaments, a high-voltage for ignition,
and a high-frequency ac current during running. To fulfill these requirements,

the electronic ballast circuit first performs a low-frequency ac/dc conversion at

the input, followed by a high-frequency dc-to-ac conversion at the output. The
ac mains voltage is full-wave rectified and then peak-charges a capacitor to
produce a smooth dc bus voltage. The dc bus voltage is then converted into a
high-frequency, 50% duty-cycle, ac square-wave voltage using a standard halfbridge switching circuit. The high-frequency ac square-wave voltage then drives
the resonant tank circuit and becomes filtered to produce a sinusoidal current
and voltage at the lamp.
Dimming mini-ballast design
The complete schematic is shown in Fig. 2. The 220-Vac/50-Hz line input
voltage is full-wave rectified (BR1) and then goes through the EMI filter (CF and
LF) before being smoothed by the dc bus capacitor (CBUS).

Fig. 2. IRS2530D dimming mini-ballast circuit schematic.

The half-bridge switches (MHS and MLS) are controlled by the IRS2530D DIM8
IC for preheating, igniting and dimming the lamp. RVCC1 and RVCC2 provide
the micro-power start-up current for the VCC supply of the IC, and the charge
pump (CSNUB, DCP1, and DCP2) takes over as the IC supply once the halfbridge begins to oscillate.
The resonant tank circuit (LRES and CRES) provides the necessary transfer
function for generating high voltages for lamp ignition and low-pass filtering for
dimming. A dc-blocking capacitor (CDC) ensures that the lamp current is always
ac to prevent mercury migration which can cause lamp end blackening and a
shortened lamp life.
Secondary windings from the resonant inductor (LRES:A,B) are used to heat
the lamp filaments during preheat and dimming, and also separate the lamp
current from the filament current allowing for a single current-sensing resistor
(RCS) to be used to sense the lamp current. The ac lamp current measurement
across RCS is coupled to the DIM pin through a feedback capacitor and resistor
(CFB and RFB). A potentiometer dimming input circuit is used (PDIM, RMIN,

RMAX) to convert the potentiometer resistance to the necessary dimming

reference voltage for the IC that is connected to the DIM pin.
Finally, resistors RLMP1 and RLMP2 are used to detect if the lamp has been
removed and to automatically restart the ballast when the lamp is re-inserted.
Protection against all other ballast fault conditions such as failure to strike, open
filament, and low ac line/brown-out, are included internally to the IRS2530D to
further reduce component count and increase reliability.

Fig. 3. Mini-ballast measured waveforms.

The measured ballast waveforms are shown in Fig. 3. Figure 3a shows the
VCO pin voltage (upper trace), lamp voltage (middle trace) and lamp current
(lower trace) during normal preheat, ignition and dimming modes. The VCO pin
and lamp voltage ramp up during preheat and ignition to preheat the lamp

filaments and then to ignite the lamp when the lamp ignition voltage threshold is
reached.
Lamp current starts to flow immediately after ignition at the start of dimming.
Figures 3b and 3c show the half-bridge output voltage (VS pin, lower trace)
together with the DIM pin voltage (upper trace) during 100% and 10% dimming
conditions. The DIM pin voltage amplitude decreases (together with the lamp
current) from 100% down to 10% and the operating frequency is continuously
adjusted to keep the valley of the sinusoid regulated at COM.
Linear dimming ballast
A linear dimming ballast for a single 28W/T5 fluorescent lamp is shown (see
Fig. 4) that is designed around the IRS2158D ballast control IC. This part
incorporates fixed frequency preheat, regulated ignition, lamp fault and end of
life protection circuitry that covers all failure modes, as well as auto-restart when
the lamp is removed and replaced.

Fig. 4. IRS2158D dimming linear ballast circuit schematic.

In addition a low-offset operational amplifier is included, which is used in this

design to implement lamp dimming by frequency modulation. The lamp arc
current is fed back and compared with a control voltage derived from a
potentiometer (RDIM).
The upper and lower dimming limits are bounded by the resistors RDIV1 and
RDIV2. The op-amp output produces an error voltage, which is connected to the
FMIN pin through a diode and by sinking more current from the FMIN pin, it
causes the frequency to be increased, which in turn reduces the lamp power.
Stability is achieved by optimizing the response time of the control loop by
correct selection of capacitor CDIM. The value of this is likely to vary depending
on the particular lamp that is being dimmed.

Fig. 5. T5/28W linear ballast measured waveforms.

The measured ballast waveforms are shown in Fig. 5. Figure 5a shows the
lamp voltage (upper trace) and CPH pin (lower trace) during normal preheat,
ignition and running modes. Fig. 5b shows the lamp current (upper trace, black),
lamp voltage (upper trace, blue) and the half-bridge output node (lower trace,
green) during 100% dimming. Figure 5c shows the lamp current (upper trace,
black), lamp voltage (upper trace, blue) and the half-bridge output node (lower
trace, green) during 5% dimming.
The IRS2530D DIM8 IC includes all of the necessary functions for smooth
dimming and protection against fault conditions. The dimming mini-ballast circuit
provides excellent performance in fewer than 35 components. The small 8-pin
package together with low component count allows for the complete design to
be realized in a small mini-ballast form factor. The IRS2158D offers additional
programmability to the designer such as the oscillator frequency range and
dead-time, and includes a non-dedicated, low-offset op amp. The IRS2158D
also includes an additional end-of-life protection feature that is mandatory for T5
lamps.
To adjust either circuit for different lamp types, power levels or line input
voltages, International Rectifier offers a Ballast Design Assistant (BDA) software
program to help designers get their ballast designs working on the bench
quickly. This program allows the user to select from different line input voltage
ranges, lamp types and lamp configurations, and then generates necessary
ballast output data, IC programmable component values, inductor
specifications, and the complete schematics and bill of materials.