As leaders in the sign industry, our team at Signarama Troy prides itself on keeping up to date with new products and services. We continually educate ourselves through trade publications such as magazines, supplier newsletters and books. Through this method of keeping informed, we are able to pass valuable information along to our clients. A vendor recently notified us that the United States Department of Energy issued new rules regulating the efficiency of fluorescent lamp ballasts.
“As many of you know, in November of 2011 the United States Department of Energy (DOE) issued new rules regulating the efficiency of fluorescent lamp ballasts. These rules will take effect later this year on November 14, 2014.
As a result, many, if not all magnetic sign ballasts will no longer be manufactured after this date (although they will continue to be available for purchase until manufacturer and distributor inventories are depleted). Some manufacturers have already introduced solid-state electronic units which replace the old magnetic units, and since their appearance on the market some 5 years ago, have proven to be reliable and are very easy to wire.”
As a sign manufacturer, we utilize these types of bulbs in signs such as illuminated boxes. We have made a commitment, moving forward, to purchase the new electronic ballasts which are specifically designed to wire like a magnetic unit. These work especially well when used to replace old magnetic ballasts in existing signs. We are available, as a service to our clients, to replace the fluorescent lamp ballasts with the new options or replace existing bulbs with LED’s.
For more information on the DOE you may visit: http://www.energy.gov/
