Do fluorescent lamps flicker?
A – Yes, fluorescent lamps do flicker, but the newer technologies that utilize electronic ballasts operate at levels where the flicker is beyond human perception. The older magnetic ballasts operate on 60 cycles per second (60 Hz), and the lamps actually flicker on and off 120 times per second. Many people feel they can see them flicker, especially in presence of computer or TV displays. However, the new electronic ballasts/T-8/T-5 lamp systems operate at frequencies about 20,000 to 40,000 Hz, which is far beyond human perception. So, for all practical purposes, the new electronic ballast and T-8/T-5 lamp combinations do not flicker.
