Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
  • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
  • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
  • G01R31/50—Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections
  • G01R31/72—Testing of electric windings

Definitions

• This invention relates to apparatus and methods for testing an inductive load such as a fluorescent light choke ballast circuit, and, in some embodiments, the circuitry of light fittings incorporating such loads.
• the ballast is operated within its recommended temperature range, it should enjoy a life of at least 10 years in continuous use and replacement of the ballast is recommended at this time. However, it is not always a simple matter to establish the age and condition of an existing ballast circuit for a fluorescent tube.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for testing a fluorescent lamp ballast circuit in a simple and effective manner, which enables the testing to be carried out at the time of lamp replacement, avoiding the cost of damaging new lamps by placing them in fittings having defective ballasts.
• the invention may be embodied in ways which additionally enable the testing of other components of the fitting.
• testing device for low-pressure discharge light fittings comprising means capable of engagement with the fitting to provide a load substantially equivalent to a lamp thereof, and means responsive to the circuit parameters of the fitting to indicate a fault condition thereof.
• the testing device is particularly employed for ballast testing, and comprises means capable of engagement with the fitting in place of the lamp.
• the device is connected to the fitting by removal of the starter, the device plugging into the starter socket.
• the tube or tubes are removed and replaced by devices which short circuit the tube contacts.
• the invention may include solid state circuitry including a pair of light emitting diodes (LED) connected via voltage amplifiers for monitoring the voltage drop across the .load. One LED signifies a normal voltage/current condition and the other LED signifies an abnormal voltage/current condition.
• the invention also includes a method of testing a light fitting for a low pressure discharge tube comprising the steps of inserting a test load equivalent to said tube and comparing the voltage drop across the load or the current flow therein with the voltage or current values of normal tube operation.
• Fig. 1 shows in side elevation a first embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 2 shows a schematic circuit diagram of the embodiment of Fig. 1
• Fig. 3 shows a modified form of the embodiment of
• Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows schematically, a second embodiment of the invention; and.
• Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the embodiment of Fig. 4.
• the device of Fig. 1 is constructed in the form of a tube 10 having dimensions corresponding to those of the tube intended for the light fitting to be tested, and the testing device is provided with end contacts 11 in the same dimensions and configuration as those of a standard fluorescent tube of the appropriate length or power consumption.
• the purpose of the two test 5 buttons 12 is to ensure that the unit is isolated from mains power during insertion into and removal from the light fitting, by requiring the use of both hands to energise the unit.
• Fig. 2 shows a circuit arrangement suitable for use
• the test apparatus may therefore be engaged with the light fitting in the same manner as a fluorescent tube, and when the device is connected to the fitting circuitry by means of the two test buttons 12, a load resistance 15 * 20 is placed in series with the ballast. This load resistance is set to correspond with the impedance of a correctly functioning fluorescent tube of the correct type for the fitting in question.
• ballast If the ballast is faulty, due for example to some part or parts of its winding being short-circuited, the resulting larger than normal voltage drop across 15 will
• the method and apparatus of the invention operate to duplicate the normal load as seen by the choke ballast and to monitor the resultant current flow or voltage.
• An audible alarm device such as a transducer 26 may be incorporated into the test equipment such that if a fault is detected a signal sounds.
• the measuring circuitry, actuating test buttons and indicator devices are carried by a housing which is dimensioned to correspond with a fluorescent tube of the dissipation for which the light fitting to be tested is designed.
• fluorescent light fittings are designed for fluorescent tubes of standard lengths in ratings of 18/20 watt, 30 watt, 36/40 watt and 58/65 watt.
• a basic testing unit 10a of 2 ft. in length for use with 18/20 watt fittings may be provided with extender units 10b which, in a modular fashion, engage with the basic unit to extend its length to one of the 3, 4 or 5 ft.
• Each of these add-on units incorporates additional load resistance, so that the load presented to the light fitting under test, always corresponds substantially with that presented by the correct fluorescent lighting tube.
• the units 10a and lob are interconnected by suitable plug and socket fittings 11a.
• the unit 10 may be telescopic, so that its length can be adjusted to suit the fitting under test, the load resistance being automatically adjusted upon telescoping movement of the housing sections.
• Fig. 4 shows in a schematic fashion the basic principle of the second embodiment of the invention to be described herein.
• the testing circuitry is enclosed within a housing 30 which is preferably of the same size and cylindrical shape as a standard- fluorescent lamp starter, although this housing may be larger than the starter if this is allowed by the configuration and dimensions of the fitting to be tested.
• the device is provided with a pair of pins 31 of the same size, shape and spacing of those of the standard starter, so that the device may be plugged into the starter socket or sockets of the fitting to be tested, upon removal of the existing starter or starters.
• the apparatus of this embodiment further comprises a pair of end plugs 32, which are dimensioned to correspond with the ends of a fluorescent tube, and are provided with pins 33 conforming to the dimensions and spacing of a standard fluorescent tube.
• the pins 33 are internally connected, so that the removal of a tube and its replacement by a pair of end plugs will place the ballast 34 of the fitting directly in series with the pins 31 of the testing device.
• FIG. 3 A typical circuit which may be employed in the testing device of this embodiment, is shown in Fig. 3, where the starter socket connections are shown at 35. As before, the device incorporates a push button here shown at 36, and an LED indicator 37.
• the integrated circuit 41 produces a pulsed output to the LED, the pulse rate of which increases with increasing voltage input to the integrated circuit, so the worse the condition of the ballast 39, the higher the rate of pulsing of the LED indicator.
• the indicator will be driven to a continuous output if no current flow is detected, indicating an open circuit in the fitting.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Testing Electric Properties And Detecting Electric Faults (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Electron Tubes, Discharge Lamp Vessels, Lead-In Wires, And The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Publications (2)

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ID=27157268

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Family Cites Families (5)

• 1986
  • 1986-09-30 WO PCT/AU1986/000282 patent/WO1987002143A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1986-09-30 JP JP61505231A patent/JPS63503081A/ja active Pending
  • 1986-09-30 EP EP19860905680 patent/EP0240519A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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