Oh My! FIRE!

I think it applies to both magnetic and electronic ballasts.

An ampere load is an ampere load.

 

heheh... no, what I'm talking about is conducted RFI emissions that should be filtered out of electronic ballasts. Electronic ballasts use a high-frequency switching power supply. This high-frequency supply can create harmonics in the radio frequency (RF) spectrum, causing RFI (RF Interference). In the US, the FCC regulates the standards of what frequencies and how much of that frequency are allowed to be emitted from a device, whether it is radiated (through the air) or conducted (through wire). The standards as defined by the FCC and the Code of Federal Regulations CFR 47 part 2 set the level at which the emissions may occur.

Magnetic ballasts may or may not need the same type of EMI filtering that electronic ballasts do because the HF switching components of the power supply do not always cause RFI the same way.

(sorry about all the technical jargon)

NOW EVERYONE READ THIS: I just called Sunlight Supply about their ballast. They use an Advance Sentinel Ballast Part # ICN4S5490C2LSG@120, which is made by Phillips. I called Phillips and got one of their design engineers on the phone (after the first technical support person didn't know what I was talking about, heheh) and they answered all my questions!

And here are the answers:

The Tek 5 light's ballast does have an EMI filter. This EMI filter is an LC design with a balanced inductor and capacitors shunted to ground from the hot and neutral line to ground. This means that there is enough leakage current to cause a GFCI to trip and will ALWAYS trip a GFCI when functioning correctly. I asked the tech what to do about that, and he recommended NOT running it on a GFCI and putting a mains fuse on the hot side of the mains input for safety. I am not sure, but maybe sunlight supply have added a fuse to the mains, IDK.

But there you have it, Electronic ballasts, when designed and working correctly WILL cause the GFCI to trip, so don't use one! Straight from the manufacturer's mouth! ;D

 

Still use one for everything else.... just not the light ballast combo.

And dude, I'm not suprised the first tech guy didn't know what you were talking about.... lol

 

Very interesting and good to know. So now I have a problem of not being able to control my MH on my Apex because I have an 8 outlet strip, and if I took that off the GFCI other stuff would not be GFCI protected.

Next problem I have is that I know folks with E-ballasts on a GFCI with no issues.

 

Great detective work. +Karma

 

This is still certainly possible. Since the engineer at Phillips told me that it's due to the leakage current, it may be possible to REMOVE the EMI filter, or at least part of it to get it to work with a GFCI. Only problem is then it would not filter RFI, which could cause other problems. So the trick is to design an EMI filter and mains circuit that addresses the issue of leakage current AND removes unwanted EMI/RFI. It's possible, but may be too expensive for manufacturers to consider.

Let me know which electronic ballasts are known to WORK with GFCI's, and I will investigate them too.

 

Agreed. Sorry, I was talking about use with a electronic ballast only...

just found this article on electronic ballasts and leakage current from Sylvania:

http://ecom.mysylvania.com/miniapps/lightingcenter/PDFs/faq0011-0297.pdf

 

Strange. Check LumaTek.

Also, I am getting tons of interference from my ballasts with my Apex. My temp probe is pretty much shot if the ballasts are on.

Thanks so much for doing all this homework

 

Ahhhh thank you!!! I will use the GFCI for everything else then!! Thank you for your help!!!

 

So Zach, after reading that excellent article provided by gabba, it would seem your solution would be to run each ballast independently on its own circuit, or switch to magnetic ballasts, or not run your lights on a GFCI circuit. I suppose practicality would dictate only one choice, eh?

While I wouldn't wholeheartedly condone the lattermost scenario, one could excersize extra care when working around one's tank with respect to the lights. That would boil down to "if any possibility exists of a body part and a lighting fixture being in the water at the same time, unplug the lights, or switch them off."

I'm pleased to learn that this leakage is "as designed," rather than a flaw in electronic ballasts. I knew that the FCC required some interference to exist, but this is unexpected.

For those who are potentially going to purchase electronic ballasts in the future, for the record--I own two Galaxy 250W electronic halide ballasts and run them, along with everything else comprising my system--on GFCIs without issue.