Transformer oil
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Transformer oil or insulating oil is an oil that is stable at high temperatures and has excellent electrical insulating properties. It is used in oil-filled wet transformers, some types of high-voltage capacitors, fluorescent lamp ballasts, and some types of high-voltage switches and circuit breakers. Its functions are to insulate, suppress corona discharge and arcing, and to serve as a coolant.
Oil transformer with air convection cooled heat exchangers in the front and at the side
A 380 kV transformer with vegetable oil
Electrical ballast
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An electrical ballast is a device placed in series with a load to limit the amount of current in an electrical circuit.
An American electronic instant start ballast for powering a variety of American T8 fluorescent lamps.
Variety of ballasts for fluorescent and other discharge lamps
A lamp starter, required with some inductor type ballasts. It connects the two ends of the lamp to preheat them for one second before lighting.
A fluorescent lamp, a device with negative differential resistance. In operation, an increase in current through the fluorescent tube causes a drop in voltage across it. If the tube were connected directly to the power line, the falling tube voltage would cause more and more current to flow, until it destroyed itself. To prevent this, fluorescent tubes are connected to the power line through a ballast. The ballast adds positive impedance (AC resistance) to the circuit to counteract the negative resistance of the tube, limiting the current.