A self-ballasted CFL that fails is discarded. A modular ballast however, can be reused when the lamp fails, reducing replacement costs and the amount of discarded waste. Modular ballasts typically are rated for 40,000 to 70,000 h of life. A screwbase CFL may have either an electronic or magnetic ballast. A lamp operating on a magnetic ballast may flash on and off a few times before finally starting.
Most electronic ballasts use instant-start technology that eliminates the flashing.
Electronic ballasts operate lamps at high frequency, which increases the lamp's efficacy and reduces the flicker sometimes associated with fluorescent lighting. A variety of accessories are available that modify the light distribution. These include diffusers, reflectors, and lenses. Screwbase Compact Fluorescent Lamp Products reports the manufacturers' data and results of the laboratory tests by product brand name and generically summarizes the application testing. At least one product from each participating manufacturer was tested.