Relay to protect timer from 120v converted chromega D

[3e8]

I recently converted the halogen lamp in my chromega to 120V with a 300W 120V halogen bulb. It works fine when plugged directly into a wall outlet, but when I attempt to use it with a timer, it blows the fuse of the timer. I'm guessing the inrush current is just too much, so I'm looking to wire in a SSR and just have the timer provide the switching current and the power current from a wall outlet. I'm just not up enough on electronics to calculate which SSR I would need. Could someone help me figure out what specs I would need for the SSR?

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Erik L]

I used one of these http://www.mcmaster.com/#general-purpose-relays/=pis43f
To protect my timer. They also sell a handy enclosure to make a neat installation at
The bottom of the page. Medium amp relay is what I selected on the McMaster car link, for some reason the
Link goes to all the relays available.
Regards
Erik

 

[Chan Tran]

I recently converted the halogen lamp in my chromega to 120V with a 300W 120V halogen bulb. It works fine when plugged directly into a wall outlet, but when I attempt to use it with a timer, it blows the fuse of the timer. I'm guessing the inrush current is just too much, so I'm looking to wire in a SSR and just have the timer provide the switching current and the power current from a wall outlet. I'm just not up enough on electronics to calculate which SSR I would need. Could someone help me figure out what specs I would need for the SSR?

Thanks,
Bryan

Use an SSR rated for at least 120VAC but not more than 240VAC and at least 5A but preferably not more than 25A. I would want to pick one with 125-145VAC or so and 10 to 15A rating.

 

[Dr Croubie]

Any particular reason to use a Solid State Relay instead of a regular electromechanical?
SSRs switch faster than regular e/m relays, but in general the pickup and dropout time of electromechanical is the same, so it won't affect your timings. (ie if it takes 20ms to switch on, it'll take 20ms to switch off, so the light stays on the same length of time)

 

[ic-racer]

What timer do you have that won't handle 300w? For the price of a relay, maybe consider a timer upgrade.

 

[3e8]

What timer do you have that won't handle 300w? For the price of a relay, maybe consider a timer upgrade.

I'm using a RH Designs Stopclock timer, which is rated to 500W, but with the new bulb, as soon as the timer switches on, it fries the fuse. The same thing happens with a Gralab 300 as well.

 

[fotch]

Contact RH Designs Stopclock timer and ask them for help. They should be able to advise. Something is wrong here since the Gralab is rated at 600watts.

 

[mr rusty]

My Analyser (230V) has a T4A fuse - it says so on the casing. This is a "time delay" fuse rather than a "fast acting". You are replacing with a T fuse? because a similarly rated fast-acting fuse may blow when a T fuse won't.

 

[Steve Smith]

Any particular reason to use a Solid State Relay instead of a regular electromechanical?

I was wondering that too. Most SS relays I have seen need a low dc voltage on the input which would mean wiring it internally to the internal relay driver. A normal relay would be much easier to connect and wouldn't entail any modifications to the timer.

The obvious answer which I couldn't possibly condone or suggest includes the words 'fit', 'fuse' and 'bigger'.

My Analyser (230V) has a T4A fuse - it says so on the casing. This is a "time delay" fuse rather than a "fast acting". You are replacing with a T fuse? because a similarly rated fast-acting fuse may blow when a T fuse won't.

But check this first!


Steve.

 

[Neal]

A relay is ridiculously cheap insurance. You even get multiple contacts so that if one dies (it won't) you can just wire to another.

Neal Wydra