Halogen Delay

[tsyrett]

Can anyone explain to me why the LV Halogen "soffit" lamps (from B&Q) I recently installed should have a delay when turning them on. Typically it is a good few seconds before they light up, but once there they then turn off and on ok until left for a while when again a delay is experienced.

 

[securespark]

Have noticed this with other SELV transformers, but cannot explain why.

My brother-i-l's lights come on one by one when switched on. They are toroidal, wired conventionally and I can't for the life of me work out why they act like that.

But when I changed the tranny for an electronic one, they came on together no delay.

I'll keep thinking about that one!

 

[breezer]

its a "soft start" transfromer. i am not joking. the idea is to stop the "sudden rush" blowing the lamps at initial switch on

 

[tsyrett]

Thanks for that chaps. I guess my memory's faulty as I thought that when I initially wired them up they started first time and that it was just recently they had started doing it. But I can't be sure. My mind is now at rest, cheers.

 

[tsyrett]

This is beginning to bug me now.
The delay seems to be getting longer! I timed it the other day and gave up after a minute and a half. switched off the lights then switched them back on again and they worked! Another time I left it for 30 seconds, turned off the switch, turned it on again straight away and nothing; a third press and bingo.
Is this something to do with the transformer. Would I be better to jack them in and get mains halogen lights . . .if so what would be the best for mounting on soffit?

 

[Big_Spark]

It is the transformer. This is usually caused by a faulty electrolytic capacitor in the input side of the unit. There is nothing that can be done apart from bin the unit and replace it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

... There is nothing that can be done apart from bin the unit and replace it.

And curse, yet again, the generally cr@p quality of stuff sold in the sheds.....

 

[Big_Spark]

Quite agree with that comment there ban, that is one reason why I always advocate people find Electrical Wholesalers for electrical materials, you tend to get better quality.

Further, cheap is not always cheerful as it often turns into a false economy when you spend a seconf time correcting the problem with the first!

This is one reason why I do not allow any of my guys to use electronic transformers, we only ever install torroidal or autotransformers for SELV lighting.

 

[securespark]

I know there are notable exceptions, but the trouble with Joe Public using wholesalers is that quite a lot of them will not serve public, or if they do, it's at list prices which don't make it worth while.

 

[Big_Spark]

I know there are notable exceptions, but the trouble with Joe Public using wholesalers is that quite a lot of them will not serve public, or if they do, it's at list prices which don't make it worth while.

That is a valid observation, but the trick is to go in knowing what you want before hand and behaving like a spark I would think.

Even Newey and Eyre give about 25% discount for "over the counter sales"

 

[Kimba]

Definately. Using the correct terms for items will basically ensure you are treated as trade. Most wholesellers never ask for proof of trading unless you want to open a credit account.

You can browse thought RS, Rapid, Farnell or N&E on line to see what you want, and then go to a trade counter. BTW, I mentioned RS there, but they are nealy twice the price of B&Q so only look!!

 

[tsyrett]

thanks for the tips boys. In the event, as advised I changed the transformer and where once was dark there is now light. Incidently on the subject of Joe Public and their treatment by the trade, I got the replacement transformer (and a host of other stuff) from QVS which while not necessarily cheaper then the "sheds", they have not treated me as if I don't know sh!t from clay. They have always advised me and treated me as a valued customer even though they know I'm an amateur. They smile indulgently when I ask them what turns out to be a stoopid question and steer me right. It helps that I know a bit (and spend a lot of money I'll admit), but interestingly they are responsible enough not to sell to people where it's clear they know nothing and what they are trying to do could be dangerous - as witness their refusal to sell a dod of wire to an increasingly frustrated bloke who wanted to wire his cooker up to the mains using "three screws on the back of it" and it became clear that they were screws holding an access plate on the carcass.
I almost feel like a sparks when I walk in there now!