The Energy Controller can be installed easily into existing fluorescent lighting circuits and is ideal for use in existing office, shopping center, warehouse, and public facilities. The energy controller works with any type of linear fluorescent lamp using a magnetic ballast and any type of starter.

The Energy Controller is designed around a patented soft switching system, which allows the unit to reduce the voltage required by fluorescent lights once they have been switched on. The Energy Controller is fail safe; in event of a failure it returns to standard mains power. The Energy Controller is compact, it can be located at or near the distribution board or installed directly in the switched line of the light load, before or after, the light switches.

How Does it Work?
Fluorescent lights require a standard, nominal voltage to strike or ignite. After an initial period and the fluorescent light has ignited, the fluorescent light no longer requires the same voltage to remain ignited. The nominal supply voltage is only required to allow the lights to strike; thereafter the operating voltage can be reduced, still within the range of the Power Utility, with only a small reduction in light output. When a bank or strip of lights is turned on the Energy Controller holds the voltage at normal for a preset time and then returns to economy mode.

The Energy Controller uses an autotransformer to switch from normal to economy voltage. After an initial start up period, the autotransformer switches to the reduced voltage. The drop in current is dependent on the age and type of fluorescent fittings. Cases already documented show savings of over 30%. The Energy Controller is installed in a bank or line of lights and is not affected by the switching on or off, of adjacent light banks.

The savings are as a result of two factors, the first is the reduction in voltage, the auto transformer ratio is 1:0.85 hence there is a saving of 15% due to the step voltage (and subsequently a 15% reduction in lighting output), the other 15% comes from the fact that the power factor improves from 0.9 to 0.98 typical for magnetic ballasts.

Proven Technology
The Energy Controller has been tested in a wide range of sites including schools, supermarkets, banks, industrial workshops, apparel factories, hotels, hospitals, office blocks and car park buildings. Service stations and warehouses are also prime locations for the Energy Controller. Experience has shown that one fully loaded Energy Controller situated in a small factory where 50 tubes are 'on' for 20 hours a day will save A$435 on the annual electricity account, save 4.34 tonnes of CO2 with a Return on Investment of 125%, and payback in 9.65 months. (Savings based on an average kilowatt hour price of A$ 8.5 cents per kWhr)

Built in Intelligence to Avoid "Brownouts"
Any device using a switch, timer and an autotransformer can create a disastrous, complete store or factory "brownout" if the mains voltage should drop to a level where the economy mode voltage falls below the fluorescent tube striking voltage. The Clipsal Energy Controller avoids mains induced "brownout" by continuously monitoring the mains voltage and automatically switches out of economy mode when the mains voltage drops by approximately 12.5%.

The minimum number of lamps for a circuit is 16 x 36W tubes.