English
Switching of light circuits, resp. The individual types of 230 VAC light sources have their own specifics, which have changed significantly recently.
With the advent of energy-saving sources, the share of switching power supplies for energy-saving light sources, which usually have the character of a capacitive load, increases.
This means that at the moment of switching on (so-called cold start) they consume a very short time (tens of μs to units of ms) much higher current than during normal operation. Therefore, we do not recommend using any relay output modules with relays for controlling switching power supplies that are not specifically designed for large switching (inrush) currents.
Conventional relay contacts cannot be used for switching luminaires, light circuits. In no case do we recommend using any common relay contacts for switching 230 V lighting, including relays with a current of 16 A. ALWAYS use relay outputs that are designed for switching loads with a capacitive character - see the following description and overview.
The correct choice of relay modules must be taken into account when specifying and designing the application, additional "reinforcement" of undersized relay contacts is almost impossible (different series impedances are problematic - given the variability of the sources used and their physical properties).
It is necessary to pay attention to possible attempts to use weaker relay contacts (common relays) and to solve the gain with external installation relays or DIN rail contactors. Most installation relays used in this way (typically in a DIN rail socket) have worse parameters (short-term switching current) than the relay outputs of the modules listed below. Similarly, installation contactors do not have such high short-term currents and therefore, from the point of view of their own contact, this is a worse solution than using modules equipped with relays with 800 A inrush contacts.
E.g. - a commonly used MW LPV-35-12 power supply (35W, 12VDC) for LED strips can draw up to 60 A for a short time at the moment of connection to the 230V network (so-called cold start according to the manufacturer's catalog sheet) and cannot be switched by relay output with common contact, but only with relay outputs that are explicitly recommended for these loads - ie modules:
C-OR-0011M-800 11 relay outputs with short-term switching current up to 800 A
C-LC-0202B 2 relay outputs with short-term switching current up to 80 A
C-OR-0008M 8 relay outputs with short-term switching current up to 80 A
C-OR-0202B 2 relay outputs with short-term switching current up to 80 A
C-HM-1113M 1 relay output with short-term switching current up to 800 A
C-HM-1121M 3 relay outputs with short-term switching current up to 800 A
C-IR-0203S 1 relay output with short-term switching current up to 80 A
R-OR-0001B 1 relay output with short-term switching current up to 800 A
RFox variants (eg R-OR-0008M) are also available for most modules, which have functionally identical parameters and we use and connect them, except for the power supply, in exactly the same way as in the CFox version.
LED bulbs are sources that also often show the capacitive nature of the load.
E.g. LED bulb EMOS A70 LED PREMIUM 16W (similarly also A 80 LED PREMIUM 20W) consumes a short-term current of up to 25 A (for approx. 100 μs) - common relay outputs cannot be used for these LED bulbs (or relay contacts with max. Current e.g. 20 And not very often for LED bulbs
use), it is necessary to use reinforced contacts with a switching current of at least 80 A, preferably 800 A (eg module C-OR-0011M),
4 pcs of these LED bulbs switched by one output draw up to more than 70 A at peak - ie it is necessary to use a relay output with a short-term current of 800 A.
The OSRAM PARATHOM CLASSIC A 40 ADVANCED 6W LED bulb consumes a current of up to 130 A at the time of switching on, but only for μs units, a relay with a reinforced contact must also be used here.
E.g. when switching on 16 pieces of these bulbs in one installation, a current peak over 400 A was measured, here the maximum current is limited by the total impedance of the distribution.
We can use any relay outputs of the Foxtrot system for switching classic light bulbs. E.g. relay outputs of the C-HM-0308M module are equipped with a relay with 5A contact, continuous switching current 3A, so we can switch up to 600W with each bulb output, but due to possible current surge in case of fiber interruption and especially it is also more advantageous to use modules with more powerful relays.
Winding transformers for 12 V halogen bulbs can be switched by a 5 A relay contact, for electronic transformers we definitely recommend using 16 A outputs.
We recommend switching 16 A outputs with fluorescent lamps (classic and compact).
It is also necessary to take into account the number of loads connected in parallel to one relay output. E.g. some electronic ballasts and power supplies have a power-up current of up to 40 A and we can switch them without any problems with the C-OR-0008M module, but if we want to switch more of these ballasts at the same time, we must use relays with larger switching currents, eg module C-OR-0011M-800.
In some cases, it is necessary to take into account the equipment of the short-circuit release of the upstream circuit breakers and it is appropriate to divide the light sources into several groups switched in sequence.