Industry Applications
Yes, this mismatch causes far more severe damage to the lamp.
Excessive current overheats tungsten filaments, tungsten evaporates and blackens tube ends, leading to thin and broken filaments quickly.
Excessive arc energy overheats the quartz tube and mercury amalgam, accelerating aging and UV transmittance loss.
Extra power turns into excess heat, raising tube temperature far above design value and speeding up light decay.
Unstable flickering arc further aggravates filament wear.
Service life of the lamp will drop to 1/3 ~ 1/2 of the rated lifespan.
Summary: Overpowered ballast damages the lamp first; underpowered ballast burns itself out while shortening lamp life at the same time.
