An analysis and practical implementation of a dimmable compact fluorescent lamp ballast circuit without integrated circuit control

Abstract

Traditional compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) cannot be dimmed by triac dimmer. In this paper, the technical issues behind the incompatibility between the triac dimmer and the internal ballast of the compact fluorescent lamp are addressed. Based on the charge-pump concept and voltage dimming control, a dimmable CFL design that is compatible with triac dimmers is analyzed and developed. A 16W CFL prototype has been built and tested. Experiments have confirmed that a wide and stable dimming range from 2.2W to 16W can be achieved.