# SSR relay issue help



## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Surge03 said:


> Here is my problem. I have this Lutron lighting system and I am have problems with the restrooms T-8 lights trying to light even with the relay off. Circuit is 277V and I'm getting 90-110V when it's off, after pulling my hair out I installed a HID magnetic ballast to see if it would bleed out the leakage voltage and it worked. Do you guys have any suggestions to fixing this correctly?


Backfeed on the neutral? What else is on that circuit?


----------



## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

joebanana said:


> Backfeed on the neutral? What else is on that circuit?


Just one 8' fixture with two 2lamp instant start electronic ballast, circuit is good. I even moved the circuit to a different relay thinking it could be be a bad relay but nope, same issue. I'm thinking the circuit doesn't have enough resistance to work properly because when I installed a magnetic ballast it solved the problem. I been reading online about bleeder resistors but wanted to know if you guys ever installed them on 277v circuits


----------



## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Surge03 said:


> Just one 8' fixture with two 2lamp instant start electronic ballast, circuit is good. I even moved the circuit to a different relay thinking it could be be a bad relay but nope, same issue. I'm thinking the circuit doesn't have enough resistance to work properly because when I installed a magnetic ballast it solved the problem. I been reading online about bleeder resistors but wanted to know if you guys ever installed them on 277v circuits


Sounds like you tried everything but, replace the fixture with another type. Electronic ballasts can be weird. Why can't you use the magnetic one? I've personally never installed a bleeder resistor, they should be built into the ballast.
As a rule SSR's and fluorescent lighting doesn't work, especially with electronic ballasts, due to backfeed on the triac.


----------



## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

joebanana said:


> Sounds like you tried everything but, replace the fixture with another type. Electronic ballasts can be weird. Why can't you use the magnetic one? I've personally never installed a bleeder resistor, they should be built into the ballast. As a rule SSR's and fluorescent lighting doesn't work, especially with electronic ballasts, due to backfeed on the triac.


Ya I thought about getting magnetic T-8 ballast but hate to stock some magnetic ballast just for that application. I am in maintenance and everything we stock is T8 electronic instant start, can I stick a resistor on the relay in parallel? Or just go magnetic ballast and go on with life lol


----------



## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Surge03 said:


> Ya I thought about getting magnetic T-8 ballast but hate to stock some magnetic ballast just for that application. I am in maintenance and everything we stock is T8 electronic instant start, can I stick a resistor on the relay in parallel? Or just go magnetic ballast and go on with life lol


The problem with a resistor, is, I think it would void the UL listing/labeling. I would just stick with what works, the mag. ballast.


----------



## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

joebanana said:


> The problem with a resistor, is, I think it would void the UL listing/labeling. I would just stick with what works, the mag. ballast.


 I am having a hard time finding a magnetic ballast at 277 volt T-8.


----------



## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Surge03 said:


> I am having a hard time finding a magnetic ballast at 277 volt T-8.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-120-t...amp-T8-Fixture-4-Pack-GE232MV-N-4PK/202815963


----------



## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

joebanana said:


> http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-120-to-277-Volt-Electronic-Ballast-for-4-ft-2-Lamp-T8-Fixture-4-Pack-GE232MV-N-4PK/202815963


 says electronic ballast, I need magnetic.


----------



## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

joebanana said:


> http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-120-to-277-Volt-Electronic-Ballast-for-4-ft-2-Lamp-T8-Fixture-4-Pack-GE232MV-N-4PK/202815963


 I finally found them but my vendor said they are obsolete and won't stalk them anymore. Hope they last until I retire lol


----------



## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

Simple solution, use the SSR to fire the coil of a contactor or better yet, a "Relay In a Box" (RIB). Another is to place a regular incandescent fixture with even a low wattage lamp somewhere useful to stop the issue.* (A fart fan would be another good thing to add on, and useful since this is a restroom.)*

Problem with SSR's is that they have a small leakage current on non-resistive/inductive loads that allows stuff like CFLs, E-Ballasts and some LED drivers to slowly charge up their main capacitors to a level high enough to turn on.


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

mxslick said:


> Simple solution, use the SSR to fire the coil of a contactor or better yet, a "Relay In a Box" (RIB). Another is to place a regular incandescent fixture with even a low wattage lamp somewhere useful to stop the issue.* (A fart fan would be another good thing to add on, and useful since this is a restroom.)*
> 
> Problem with SSR's is that they have a small leakage current on non-resistive/inductive loads that allows stuff like CFLs, E-Ballasts and some LED drivers to slowly charge up their main capacitors to a level high enough to turn on.


RIB is so good, I carry a few on the truck.


----------



## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

backstay said:


> RIB is so good, I carry a few on the truck.


 Sounds like a plan, thanks.


----------

