Oh My! FIRE!

Very interesting. If it were a cheap GFI I assume it would have less tolerance for RFI?

I unfortunately do not have a way to remotely install my ballasts.

Would a GFCI circuit breaker be a better option as it will be installed remotely from the ballasts or will the noise manage to travel across the line regardless? I assume being located remotely the RFI would not affect the circuit breaker.
http://www.amazon.com/Square-QO120GFICP-20A-Circular-Breaker/dp/B00002N5IL

 

I'm really not sure if a cheap GFCI would be any different than a more expensive one... I think the problem may lie in the filtering done to the ballast itself.

It's difficult to know without testing (which is what manufacturers are supposed to do) but I bet in an industry as small as this one, not everyone is designing and testing as much they should for things like EMC requirements.

I am by no means proving anything here, but it seems like an awful lot of folks have ballasts that trip GFCI's repeatedly, even when everything seems to be functioning correctly.

What I'm theorizing is that an unbalanced conducted RFI emission that was over the level tolerated by the GFCI could cause a perfectly functioning GFCI to trip.

If that's the case, then I suggest filtering and balancing of RFI is in order of the mains between the ballast and the GFCI for the GFCI to function as it should.

 

How would you recommend to filter the RFI from the ballasts?

 

I have several RFI chokes sitting around my office at work that were given to me as free samples... all you need to do is put it on the cable between the light and the GFCI... Again, I'm not charging for this, I just want to see if it might work.

Want to PM me your address? (I can only do this if you're in the states).

 

I'm glad you and your tank are ok.

Even though the topic has changed a bit on this thread, I thought I would bump an old related thread.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/fire-safety-38360.html

 

Thanks. I will read that thread.

 

Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core - RadioShack.com

This will cut down on some of the RFI... If you feel like trying one, let me know how it works and if it solves the problem of the GFCI tripping. I feel that the ballast may need more than this, in terms of an inline filter. If so, I have something else I can make up and send you to try out. Zach or KC, let me know if you're interested in this.

Even if the Ballast PSU has a filter on the mains, a capacitor designed to shunt RFI to ground can also be causing the GFCI to trip.

I'd like to see if we can get the lights working on the GFCI. If not, the lights may need to be run without the GFCI.

 

Everything ok? Was thinking about you...

 

I have some of those I can try. What is your other option, out of curiosity?

 

I have to run my lights on a separate non GFCI circuit as it trips any GFCI circuit I have.. I guess its just part of the problem. I even tried the stand alone GFCI that plugs into the wall that you can get from HD or lowes