Study of power line communication technique

Abstract

A electronic ballast is a preferred to use nowadays, especially in offices and workplaces. But dimming of fluorescent lamp is not commonly use. The reason is a certain low DC voltage need to supply as the dimming control of the ballast. A pair of additional low volt cables needs to be laid within the same conduit from the lamp switch to the fluorescent lamp luminaries. It is not cost effective if many rows of luminaries are to be controlled. So after consult Dr. Henry Chung I tried to investigate the applicability of power line carrier techniques to embedded control signal into the power line. The investigation is both theoretical and practical; the control low DC voltage will modulate into LIVE 220VAC. And will be extracted by the demodulator, the 0-10V DC will give out to drive the dimmable ballast. By this method no additional control wire need to be laid. The cost of cabling work will be reduced and the effectiveness will be increased.