Modern UV metal vapor lamps (the best UV lamps in the terrarium) require a so-called electronic ballast for operation. Without an electronic ballast, the UV lamp would not start at all. So why do you need this extra device?

EVG Elektronisches Vorschaltgerät für UVB Lampen

There are two reasons:

1) As a starter for igniting the UV lamp: The electronic ballast sends a very high starting current of approx. 5000 volts into the UV lamp in order to ignite the gas mixture. The terrarium lamp ignites, the gas mixture heats up and after a few minutes full brightness is reached.

2) As a current limiter: During operation of the UV metal halid lamp, the discharge current increases and would destroy the lamp without electronic limitation.

Today there are almost only electronic ballasts that combine these two functions in one housing. These electronic ballasts have almost completely replaced the conventional ballasts that were common in the past. With good reason, because there are many advantages.

Modern electronic ballasts are much more efficient than earlier technologies - because of their much higher efficiency. By using a higher frequency than the usual mains frequency, the unpleasant flickering also disappears. In addition, modern electronic ballasts can start the lamp "more gently" or preheat the cathodes, thus significantly increasing the service life of the UV lamp. There are also safety mechanisms with an automatic switch-off in the event of false starts.

In older mixed light lamps (mercury vapor lamps), a filament takes over the function of the current limiter. This refers to the often quoted "built-in ballast". In reality it is an older and not very efficient solution.

Only with electronic ballasts modern UV lamps in the terrarium show all their advantages:

- Lower electricity costs, since a significantly higher brightness and UVB radiation is emitted per watt. For example, a 70 watt UV lamp is sufficient instead of a 100 watt mercury vapor lamp.

- Significantly better color rendering

- More balanced light spectrum

- Unmatched high brightness

- More stable operation and longer service life

- Less or no flickering

All of this speaks for the most modern solution in terraristics: UV metal halid lamps and electronic ballasts. The UV lamp must always be operated with the electronic ballast of the same wattage. The usual wattages are 35, 50, 70, 100 and 150 watts. There are also multiwatt electronic ballasts that can be switched between several wattages with a switch. Multiwatt devices between 35-70 watts are common.

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