Kitchen lighting fuse keeps tripping

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Recently moved into a new house, and the kitchen lighting circuit keep tripping every few days. Normally happens when switching on or off the lights and you have to flick the fuse back.

There are 8 mr16 spot lights split between the utility room and downstairs toilet, 8 mr16 spot lights on a wire track in the kitchen and then 5 led gu10’s in the kitchen as well. All of them are connected to a separate switch.

One of the bulbs on the bulbs on the track wire is blown so could narrow down the fault?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 

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Those open wire lamps should be supplied from transformer ( wire wound ) and not a Switched Mode Power Supply ( SMPS ) which are often labelled as "Electronic Transformer".

Switching a wire wound transformer ON or OFF can create transient voltages or currents that can ( and do ) trip Miniature Circuit Breakers ( MCB ). These transients will almost never blow a fuse ( where a bit of wire melts )

Replacing an old fashioned wire fuse with a modern MCB as invariable happens when a new consumer unit is installed means this type of lighting will cause tripping of the "fuse" ( in reality an MCB ).

Some electricians will advise replacing the old fashioned and large wound transformer with a modern compact Electronic Transformer. Most SMPS "transformers" create radio frequency interference which radiates from the cable between SMPS and the lamp. With short lengths of twin flex between SPS and the lamp(s) this interference does not radiate very far.

With open wire lamps the open wires act as aerials and the SMPS's interference is broadcast over much longer distances and will interfere with local wireless reception.

Marine ship to shore radio was affected by interference radiated out from open wire lights in a sea side art gallery when an electrician replaced transformers with SMPS modules.

Changing the MCB to a type C may solve the problem ( or reduce the number of times it happens ) but may not be suitable to protect the other lighting in the house.
 
@bernardgreen is spot on, what I did was split the circuits onto more switches, even when a 4 gang switch is used one never turns them all on together there is a few seconds between them. It is down to inrush.

As @bernardgreen says the electronic transformer works in the kHz range and often the instructions say 1 meter maximum of cable, however using LED's one can use DC, so one could use a driver as it seems to be called, not really the right name drivers control current not voltage, but the lighting industry has it seems called the 12 volt DC regulated power supplies drivers, and these likely would reduce the in-rush so stop the tripping.

Moving to LED with drivers both means less power used and DC, the problem is selecting one which can be mounted to look OK, has the power requirements, and the isolation to ensure 230 even in fault conditions can't reach the lights.

So may be better going to LED and still using a toroidal transformer but smaller, swapping
TLT100SLASH1.JPG
for
TLT50SLASH1.JPG
see this example advert 50 watt will power a lot of LED lamps, I had a single 200 watt in old house and it did not trip anything, and I was using a single 6A type B MCB for all lighting, so maybe you have two 200 watt units, again move to LED and one would be enough to likely power all.

Note MR16 refers to the reflector type and size, GU10 refers to the way they are plugged in, so often a GU10 is also MR16, 12 volt tend to use G5.3 power connections, technically many LED lamps don't have reflectors like the quartz they replaced, so are not technically MR16 only MR16 compatible, but are G5.3.

Personally I would try simple first, and swap all bulbs to LED, it may be enough to reduce the in-rush enough, and only if fitting LED fails look at swapping the transformer for a DC power supply.
 
Bernard and Eric have it dead right.
First off, I think I see 2 sets, are these both on the same switch? ie do they both come on together. If so it may be worth temporarily disconnecting one, as Eric starts describing, to see if the problem goes away.

When we were installing loads of transformers in night clubs mid 90's we were able to buy a unit which only allowed its triac to be initially switched on at a zero crossing point of the ac waveform. Sadly they went right out of fashion and production. Another solution I've encountered several times has been a series resistor of about 1Ω.
 
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Thanks all this is really helpful, @SUNRAY them two sets of lights are off the same switch, but I can switch them on independently as they are on a 4 gang switch that also control other lights too.

I have told the mrs to switch them on slowly rather than rapid fire and I am planning on firstly changing the halogens to LEDs and see if this solves the problem.
 
Thanks all this is really helpful, @SUNRAY them two sets of lights are off the same switch, but I can switch them on independently as they are on a 4 gang switch that also control other lights too.

I have told the mrs to switch them on slowly rather than rapid fire and I am planning on firstly changing the halogens to LEDs and see if this solves the problem.
Changing the bulbs may not make much difference, the most significant issue is usually the inrush of the transformer.
 
Thanks all this is really helpful, @SUNRAY them two sets of lights are off the same switch, but I can switch them on independently as they are on a 4 gang switch that also control other lights too.

I have told the mrs to switch them on slowly rather than rapid fire and I am planning on firstly changing the halogens to LEDs and see if this solves the problem.

You will still have the in rush to the transformer, maybe try the one ohm resistor solution suggested above.
 

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