This is domestic lighting, not PC, but I thought I might get some advice here.... OK I have a set of 5 LV halogens running of the lighing circuit with their own transformer. Fairly often, when I switch them on it trips the ciruit breaker. However this is only whrn I switch these lights on, no when they're running and I turn on some others on the same fuse. I'm not in a position to rewire and give this fellow its own fuse, so I wondered if it would be poissble to put in some kind of soft-start limiter so the surge doesn't trip the fuse box. I'd be gratefull for any help here.
Maybe you could come up with a controller box with a relay for each transformer, so that when you flip on the switch, it flips on the first light, waits 100 miliseconds, then the second, 100 miliseconds... etc. That way the startup surge is spread over half a second. You might even be able to lessen the delay to 50 miliseconds.
Its the current limiter this is hitting not the RCD yet? If so i would of thought the xformer for them wouldn't of been such an issue, i'd look at what load your putting on it (make sure u got a nice head room, and are using the output rating, not its own useage rating).
You can get soft-start thermistors (aka NTC Inrush Thermistors) for this sort of job, there's probably one in your PC psu and the TV. You need to know normal load current, and they run very hot in use so make sure they have free air circulation. ESR(.co.uk) do some, 1A, 2A, 3A & 5A ratings, under Resistors.
Thanks, Sounds like the thing for the job. So I'll have a look at the spec on the beast and maybe measure the normal load current (yes, carefully ) before I pitch in. Farnell seem to have them as well Search " 'SURGE-GARD' ", assuming they're the same things.
