The invention concerns a method for powering a discharge lamp with a switching
power supply. Said method is characterised in that it consists in: applying a voltage
firing the lamp, then after the lamp has been energized, applying a lower service
voltage to the firing voltage. The firing and service voltages can be generated
by using a resonant circuit at the terminals of which a chopped voltage is applied
with different frequencies. The invention also concerns a light source comprising
a discharge lamp and a switching power supply. Said light source can be equipped
with devices for measuring several parameters, such as power, light intensity or
the amplitude of vibrations. The invention is useful for producing public lighting.
