Espen Technology, a leading manufacturer of LED and fluorescent products, has released a new line of emergency ballasts designed to operate with Espen’s Retroflex and Retroflex HE lines of plug-and-play LED tubes, as well as fluorescent T8 lamps.  

“This is the first line of emergency ballasts to operate both LED and fluorescent T8 lamps.  We offer them in three lumen outputs:  500, 700, and 1,300 lumen models,” said John Clancy, VP of Sales at Espen Technology.  Clancy added, “Our customers can finally upgrade their fluorescent T8 lamps on emergency back ups, and claim 100% LED lighting for their facilities.  We’ve seen some serious safety hazards when LED tubes are mistakenly put on fluorescent battery back ups.  Espen’s new line of emergency ballasts solve this problem, and the market response has been very strong.”

The LED emergency ballast works in conjunction with the AC ballast to allow the same fluorescent fixture to be used for both normal and emergency operation. When AC power fails, the emergency ballast switches to emergency mode and keeps one lamp illuminated at a reduced lumen output, for a minimum of 90 minutes. These ballasts are suitable for use in new fixtures or retrofit applications. They include an LED charging indicator light, a single-pole test switch, and installation hardware.

Electrically, they come in dual voltage (120/277V), are compatible with most electronic AC ballasts, are maintenance-free, provide long life, and incorporate a high temperature Ni-Cad battery.  They can be installed with switched or unswitched fixtures, without affecting normal operation.  They can conveniently be installed in the wire-way or on top of a fixture.  The emergency ballast must be fed from the same branch electrical circuit as the AC ballast, in order to operate correctly.  

The housing is a durable, heavy duty painted steel.  The low-profile design will fit in most fluorescent fixtures, with overall dimensions of 9.5” X 2.38” X 1.5” (including mounting tabs).  The emergency ballast line comes with a 5 year warranty and meets UL 924, NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, NEC, OSHA, as well as local and state codes.   

This product is available through Espen Technology distributors and is shipping from the company’s Southern California distribution center.  For spec sheets, where to purchase the product, or how to become a distributor, contact John Clancy, VP of Sales at jclancy@espentech.com .