Halogen lights trip MCB

[cleddy]

Just installed some halogen lights. They are the type which are on wires.

I have 2 runs of 5 x 35W bulbs each run having it's own transformer.

They are switched from the same switch.

I have found that even without any other lights on in the house, when I switch them on (and sometimes off) the MCB will trip. This doesn't happen every time, but often enough to be extremely annoying (these lights are on the 3rd floor and I have to go down to the ground to reset the MCB in a dark house!)

The MCB is rated at 6A.

I guess it is the surge current which is causing the problem, and it only trips if I happen to switch at max voltage in the mains cycle.

My question is, how can I stop this happening? Is there something I can buy to reduce the surge current?

It has been suggested to me that I increase the size of fuse in the light as that has worked, but it sounds a little dodgey to me.

Any ideas?????

 

[breezer]

to be technical about it your transfromers are producing what is known as "back emf" (commonly called a spike)

To actually "kill" this you nead to fit a capacitor, but as for the value it depends on how much back emf your transformers are producing.

The easy way out is to go to an electrical wholesaler and explain your problem to them and see what they have "off the shelf"

another way would be to (if possible) have one switch for each set of lights, but this is no guarntee.