Continue to Site

Welcome to EDAboard.com

Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Register Log in

fluorescent light and relay

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

markdem

Member level 3
Joined
May 16, 2006
Messages
58
Helped
0
Reputation
0
Reaction score
0
Trophy points
1,286
Activity points
1,830
Hi all, very easy question, can i turn a fluorescent light on and off with a standed relay?. i am tring to do this now, but it not working (conntroller is locking up), and what i can see using google is that i should be using mosfets.

thanks, Mark
 

hi dear,

IT IS POSSIBLE KINDLY TELL WHICH TYPE OF CIRCUITRY YOU ARE USING
 

markdem,
A standard relay will work. Remember that the power factor of older style fluorescent lamps with inductive type ballasts is very low (around 0.4). This means that the current will be more than 2.5 times the current that you would calculate from the wattage rating of the fixutre (taking into account the PF and the fact that the ballast is not 100% efficient). Also the load for the older fixtures is highly inductive (because of the ballast), so the relay contacts will experience arcing when the lamp is turned off.
Regards,
Kral
 

Yes, a standard relay must work, however, you have to choose the relay with contact current/voltage as per instructions from Kral.

To protect relay contact from arcing, you have to use a capacitor of about .01uF across the contact, like the old starter does.

nguyennam
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Part and Inventory Search

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top