8504.10.00.00 - Ballasts for discharge lamps or tubes

This category, HTS Code 8504.10.00.00, specifically covers ballasts designed for use with discharge lamps or tubes. Discharge lamps, such as fluorescent lamps, HID (high-intensity discharge) lamps, and neon signs, require a ballast to regulate the current and voltage supplied to them. This regulation is essential for initiating the arc, maintaining a stable discharge, and preventing damage to the lamp. The classification is strictly limited to these regulatory devices themselves, not the lamps they serve.

It is important to distinguish this category from other transformer-related items within heading 8504. While this heading also includes static converters (rectifiers) and inductors, ballasts are a distinct type of electrical device with a specific function: to control the electrical characteristics of discharge lamps. Unlike general transformers which primarily alter voltage and current levels, ballasts are engineered to manage the complex operating requirements of arc discharge phenomena. Sibling categories like 8504.40 (Static converters) and 8504.50 (Other inductors) serve different electrical purposes.

As HTS Code 8504.10.00.00 is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories. Therefore, classification under this code relies on accurately identifying the item as a ballast for discharge lamps. This typically involves examining its technical specifications and intended application. For example, electronic ballasts, which contain integrated circuits and semiconductor devices to manage power, fall under this classification, as do older magnetic (choke) ballasts. The key determining factor is the device's role in operating discharge lighting.