Based on the United State Patent document, Light fittings for retrofitting

large-diameter inductive fluorescent lamps to smaller-diameter electronic T5-lamps

invented by Walter Holzer, there are fluorescent lights or tubes available in different
lengths and diameters. T number is used to label the diameter of the tube where
each single unit of T representing a value of 1/8 inches. In other words, T5 lamps are
having 5/8 inches of diameter. Those tubes with large diameter are gradually being
replaced by smaller tubes such as T5 tubes. This is because the newer tube can
reduce up to 40% of electricity consumption as compared to the T8 lamps.
According to the article written by S.Y. (Ron) Hui, D.Y. Lin, W.M. Ng and Wei Yan,
with title Class-A2 ultra-low-loss magnetic ballast for T5 fluorescent lamps A new
trend for sustainable lighting technology, it mention that some T5 lamps are having
improved version of phosphor coating which can prevent mercury from being
absorbed into the phosphor and bulb glass. This results in where T5 lamps will have
less impact on global environment as compare with T8 lamps. T5 lamps also said to
have same color temperature standard where users will not have to worry about the
mismatch of color in future lamp replacement. As describe in this article, electronic
ballasts were designed to run the T5 lamps by using the resonant tanks in generating
high-ignition voltage for the lamps and in the same time, magnetic ballasts were
thought to be not suitable in driving T5 lamps which needed high voltage. Challenges
in developing magnetic ballast are describe in the table below and in accordance
with the methods to fulfill the condition.
Table 1: Challenges in using magnetic ballast for T5 lamps.
Challenges

Way to encounter

Sufficient ignition voltage

Applying electronic starter (developed in 1990s for T8
End of life detection for lamps) for T5 lamps
aged/faulty lamps
Provision of high-lamp Using LC ballast where long lifetime is expected and
voltage to sustain the lamp the iron core and copper winding for inductor can be
arc after lamp ignition
recycled.
Less ballast loss than the Based on next tables, magnetic ballasts are more
electronic counterparts
efficient than electronic ballasts.

Table 2: Initial assessment of loss components.

Lamp Type

T8 36W

T5 28W

Rated Voltage (Vrms)

103

167

Rated Current (Arms)

0.44

0.175

Conduction loss (i2R)

100%

16%

Core loss ( )

100%

40%

References
1. Holzer, W. (2003). U.S. Patent No. 6,624,554. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
2. Hui, S. R., Lin, D. Y., Ng, W. M., & Yan, W. (2011). A Class-A2 Ultra-Low-Loss
Magnetic Ballast for T5 Fluorescent LampsA New Trend for Sustainable
Lighting Technology. Power Electronics, IEEE Transactions on, 26(2), 622-629.