Problem with SSR and AC current

[rafcab]

Hello,
I am trying to use a solid state relay to drive a neon light bulb which uses 220 V AC. I connect the input to an Arduino board and the output to the light bulb in series with the AC source.
When Arduino is ON, the SSR activates output and the light bulb lits up, OK. But when Arduino is OFF the light bulb is not OFF, and not fully ON. I keasured voltage and input is 0.1 V, which is OK for the SSR, but output is around 160 V, which leaves around 60 V for the light bulb, and it is at half light level.
Can anyone tell me if this is the normal behaviour for the SSR and a way to work around it?

Thank you
Rafael Caballos

 

[chuckey]

Yes I would think its the SSRs leakage current, possibly caused by an internal snubber capacitor, try putting a 100K resistor across the neon lower might work but is starting to consume real power, 10K ~ 4.5W. It could be that the .1V you are measuring is actually 12 V for 10mS, every second, which is just triggering the SSR. Disconnect its input, this will ensure its not the Arduino misbehaving.
frank

 

[rafcab]

Yes I would think its the SSRs leakage current, possibly caused by an internal snubber capacitor, try putting a 100K resistor across the neon lower might work but is starting to consume real power, 10K ~ 4.5W. It could be that the .1V you are measuring is actually 12 V for 10mS, every second, which is just triggering the SSR. Disconnect its input, this will ensure its not the Arduino misbehaving.
frank

Thank you for your answer. I will make some checking and tell you if it works.

Rafael