Inventors:
Stephen G. Johnson - Georgetown MA
William M. Labadini - Salisbury MA
Assignee:
GTE Products Corporation - Stamford CT
International Classification:
H05B 3900
Abstract:
A process for operating a discharge lamp with an arc drop of not less than about 75% of a given service voltage includes the steps of series connecting a ballast and discharge lamp, coupling the series connected ballast and discharge lamp to a service voltage source and shunting the discharge lamp with a means for developing a pulse potential at or near the beginning of each half-cycle of the service voltage. Also, a series connected inductive ballast and discharge lamp are connected to a service voltage source and a non-linear dielectric element and preheat switching means each shunting the discharge lamp.