What the difference between ballast and transformer?
Answer:
A transformer changes the amperage and / or voltage. It literally "Transforms" electrical energy.
A ballast is like a capacitor. Think of a ballast as a short-term battery. It stores power then releases it as needed. A common example of a ballast is on fluorescent lights.
Initially, a fluorescent light needs a big blast of energy to excite the gas molecules into emitting photons (light). Then it only needs a small amount of energy to keep the gas molecules in an excited state. However, that power has to be of consistent amperage and voltage. The ballast is designed to do that.
The electrical ballast stores energy in the same way that a water ballast stores water for stability. Because the electrical ballast stores far more power than the device it regulates requires, it too provides a kind of electrical stability. That’s why you often see a fluorescent light flicker or “lose stability” when the ballast starts to go bad.
A transformer transforms voltage and amperage up or down.
A ballast provides a stabile power supply.
Although they have about the same structure,
a ballast is basically designed to store energy to fill the gaps and to maintain an oscillation, while a transformer to step up or down a voltage.
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