STMicroelectronics STEVAL-ILH004V1

Overview

STEVAL-ILH004V1 from STMicroelectronics is a 70 W digital electronic ballast demonstration board for metal halide (HID) lamps, implementing a transition-mode PFC boost stage and low-frequency square-wave half-bridge inverter controlled by the ST7FLITE49K2 MCU and L6382D5 gate driver. It operates from 85–265 V_rms, delivers regulated 410 V DC output with ≤20 V low-frequency ripple, and achieves 96% PFC efficiency and 95% H-bridge efficiency.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-ILH004V1 datasheet, STEVAL-ILH004V1 pinout, STEVAL-ILH004V1 application, or STEVAL-ILH004V1 equivalent, this board supports rapid evaluation of HID lamp ballast topologies, PFC + half-bridge control integration, and ST's digital lighting control architecture using ST7LITE and L6382D5.

Technical Context

The board implements a two-stage architecture: a transition-mode boost PFC stage delivering regulated 410 V DC at up to 73 W output power, and a microcontroller-synchronized half-bridge inverter driving the lamp with low-frequency (typically 100–200 Hz) square-wave current. The ST7FLITE49K2 manages timing, protection, and sequencing, while the L6382D5 provides high-side/low-side gate drive with dead-time control.

Input AC is rectified and conditioned by the PFC stage operating above 30 kHz switching frequency; the resulting DC bus feeds the half-bridge, whose output is coupled to the HID lamp via resonant ignition and sustaining circuitry. Auxiliary power is derived from a dedicated flyback supply supporting MCU and gate driver operation.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-ILH004V1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial lighting system development, HID lamp driver reference design validation, and PFC + inverter topology prototyping requiring stable component supply and documented ST reference implementation.

Supply support for STEVAL-ILH004V1 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, designing and manufacturing analog, MCU, power, and sensor solutions for industrial, automotive, and consumer applications.

This board belongs to ST's STEVAL (ST Evaluation) series - purpose-built reference platforms demonstrating complete system-level implementations of ST's analog and microcontroller products for lighting, motor control, and power conversion.

FAQ

What lamp types does STEVAL-ILH004V1 support?

The board is designed specifically for 70 W metal halide (MH) and high-pressure sodium (HPS) HID lamps. It meets ignition and sustaining voltage/current requirements for both types, including open-circuit ignition voltage >3 kV (via external ignitor circuit not included on board) and regulated 410 V DC sustain voltage with 0.18 A lamp current.

Does STEVAL-ILH004V1 include an integrated ignitor?

No - the board provides the PFC and half-bridge power stages plus control logic but does not integrate the high-voltage ignitor required for HID lamp starting. An external pulse ignitor (e.g., 3–5 kV, 1–5 ms pulse) must be connected between the half-bridge output and lamp to initiate arc striking.

Can the switching frequency of the PFC stage be adjusted?

No - the PFC operates in fixed transition mode (critical conduction mode) with inherent frequency variation tied to input voltage and load. Minimum frequency is specified as 30 kHz; actual frequency ranges from ~30 kHz at full load/low line to >100 kHz at light load/high line, per the L6382D5's internal control architecture.

Is firmware source code provided with STEVAL-ILH004V1?

Yes - ST provides the complete firmware project (in STVD/STVP format) for the ST7FLITE49K2 MCU, including PFC regulation loop, half-bridge timing, lamp status monitoring (via current/voltage sensing), and fault handling (overcurrent, overvoltage, open lamp). Source code and application notes are available in the official documentation package (Doc ID 022333).