🚀 go-pugleaf

->>Heretofore we have been using a special dimming ballast...
->on a side note, just how does a dimming ballast work?

I'll jump in with an even simpler question:  How does a ballast work?  What
does it do?  You can buy electronic ballasts, supposedly they help save energy
and/or reduce the heat.  How do they work?  Does anyone have any pointers on
where I could get this information?  I'd like to build my own fixtures and
possibly assemble the ballasts myself if it makes any sense.  Is there a 
good definitive source for how flourescents work?
-tod