Reliable ignition:
All fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps start within two seconds after being switched on. Trouble-free starting is guaranteed for temperatures ranging from minus 20°C to plus 70°C.
 
Safety switch-off:
According to the European standard EN 61347-1, in case of failure, an ECG must be switched off within 5 seconds after starting due to any of the following:

• No lamp has been installed.
• Lamp cannot be started because of a damaged electrode.
• Lamp cannot be started even though both electrodes are intact (due to leakage, for example).
• Lamp operates with rectifying effect - reaction within 30 seconds
  (equivalent circuit with diode in series with the lamp)

Annex 17 of DIN EN 61347-2-3 is called the End-of-Lamp-Life (EoL) specification. From 1st September 2007, it will be required that all ECG for tube lamps with a diameter of less than 26mm (T8) have to be equipped with an additional safety shut-down at the end of a lamp's life. Affected as well are all ballasts for pin-based compact fluorescent lamps with a T4- or T5 tube.

At the end of their life, fluorescent lamps may not perform optimally. Because of asymmetric operation, the lamps' ends may overheat and the lamp base may ultimately melt. Standards committees are addressing the end-of-life behaviour of fluorescent lamps. Although the appropriate electronic circuits are fairly expensive, they are already installed in many OSRAM ECG. As a result, lamps operated with OSRAM ECG are consistently switched off at the end of life if any of the following occur:

• At least one electrode is broken.
• The upper limit of the asymmetric additional power of the lamp (T4: 10W; T5: 15W) is exceeded.

Safety and operating principles:
How does a lamp operate? How long does the preheat period have to be and what is the right preheat current? What is the maximum allowable current through the pins? When should the lamp be ignited in order for it not to be damaged or the lamp life shortened? These and other questions, especially those with regard to the conformity to all existing standards, must be answered in the early stages of development. This is the only way to guarantee good product quality.

EN 61000-3-2 (harmonics of mains current):
Due to a power factor of 0.99, the electric behaviour of Electronic Control Gear from OSRAM is that of an ideal resistance (like incandescent lamps). Therefore, ECG do not take reactive powers from the mains for which users do not pay.

EN 55015 (radio interference):
High-frequency operation can cause ECG to emit interference between 9 kHz and 30 kHz and eventually affect other electronic equipment. Therefore, all ECG must perform within the limits of this frequency range.

Immunity
EN 61547:
ECG must be protected from external interferences such as surge pulses (high-energy pulses) or transient pulses (low-energy, quick pulses). Such pulses appear as interference caused by e.g. refrigerators, television sets or Conventional Control Gear. The size of a typical surge pulse is 1 kV symmetric or 2 kV asymmetric. OSRAM ECG are well protected and cannot be destroyed by these types of pulses however, individual ECG are not protected against high energy pulses such as those caused by lightning.
 
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