electricians!!! need immediate info on halides all of a sudden are tripping breaker!

bergzy · 04/12/2006, 11:42 PM

i have a 3x250w giesemann 230 eco that has worked flawlessly up til a week when it comes on...it trips my 20a breaker without tripping the gfci.

the light is just over a year old and has never given my problems.

my breaker has never tripped up til now and only does so when the lights come on .

the equipment hooked up to the 20a do not come close to exceeding the load of the 20 amp breaker.

could the breaker itself be bad? or do you think there is a problem with the light?

i would like to try and solve this extremely distressing problem before my lights come on tomorrow as i have shut it down for the night already! whew!

any help is absolutely and whole heartedly appreciated!

mg426 · 04/13/2006, 02:21 AM

It does sound like a current issue as opposed to a ground leakage problem. Have you tried plugging something else into the circuit that your halides are on. Mabe try like a hairdryer or something. If that were to trip your breaker It would lead you to beleive that it is in fact the breaker. Also mabe try the halides on another circuit and see what happens.

6-line · 04/13/2006, 05:18 AM

Try pulling out a bulb before it starts up to see if all three of them coming on at the same time is the issue of too much inital start-up amperage...that way there would be less lights to draw upon startup--if it doesn't trip then somehow you'll have to stagger them coming on...just a thought....

jeffbrig · 04/13/2006, 07:05 AM

I agree with mg426, the problem is current overdraw not leakage. Don't MH bulbs become harder to light with age? I'm assuming these are magnetic ballasts, so increased current draw when firing older bulbs might explain it. It's not unheard of for a mag ballast to draw 7-8amps when firing a bulb.

Test the breaker by loading the circuit (the hair dryer is a good idea), then try firing different combinations of your 3 bulbs together. You may find that one ballast is going bad and drawing excessive current.

Mr. Ugly · 04/13/2006, 07:37 AM

Also, breakers can get weak and trip with less current.

bergzy · 04/13/2006, 09:52 AM

thanks for the replies guys!!!

i am already in contact with giesemann and the tech is trying to figure it out as well.

the ballasts are electronic and make a weird sound just beofre the bulg fires up...so the tech said it might be the starter...no big deal for most light set up's but with my giesemann pendant...all the wiring...everything...ballast, started, transformer etc is wired internally into the fixture itself...you know what that means...yep, a lot of work!!!!!

sttroyiii · 04/13/2006, 12:42 PM

What else is on the same circuit, including other rooms of the house? I suggest turning off the breaker and see what else in the house goes off. You said equipment doesnt come close, but you might not be expecting things pulling more current during startup like motors. Motors can pull 200% of their rated amperage on startup.

If it is indeed the lights, you might be able to stagger their start up times so they arent all coming on at the same time. If any motors- pumps, chillers, etc. are on the same circuit, you need to have another dedicated circuit run to your equipment area and put the motors on that circuit.

rgasco1 · 04/13/2006, 01:40 PM

As a breaker gets older and trip more they get weaker. I had to replace mine because I was having the same problem. If you do replace it make sure you put the same type breaker in. Dont put a 20 amp where a 15 amp breaker was.

04/12/2006, 11:42 PM	#1
bergzy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OC CA USA Posts: 5,299	electricians!!! need immediate info on halides all of a sudden are tripping breaker! i have a 3x250w giesemann 230 eco that has worked flawlessly up til a week when it comes on...it trips my 20a breaker without tripping the gfci. the light is just over a year old and has never given my problems. my breaker has never tripped up til now and only does so when the lights come on . the equipment hooked up to the 20a do not come close to exceeding the load of the 20 amp breaker. could the breaker itself be bad? or do you think there is a problem with the light? i would like to try and solve this extremely distressing problem before my lights come on tomorrow as i have shut it down for the night already! whew! any help is absolutely and whole heartedly appreciated! __________________ The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it. H.L. Mencken Ben. Current Tank Info: 180g sps, 90g cube clam biotope.

04/13/2006, 02:21 AM	#2
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	It does sound like a current issue as opposed to a ground leakage problem. Have you tried plugging something else into the circuit that your halides are on. Mabe try like a hairdryer or something. If that were to trip your breaker It would lead you to beleive that it is in fact the breaker. Also mabe try the halides on another circuit and see what happens. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

04/13/2006, 05:18 AM	#3
6-line Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Florence, KY--across the river from Cincinnati, OH Posts: 2,230	Try pulling out a bulb before it starts up to see if all three of them coming on at the same time is the issue of too much inital start-up amperage...that way there would be less lights to draw upon startup--if it doesn't trip then somehow you'll have to stagger them coming on...just a thought.... __________________ Todd If you're not obsessed, you're not doing it right... Current Tank Info: 60 gallon rimless cube; sps dominated

04/13/2006, 07:05 AM	#4
jeffbrig Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Posts: 5,548	I agree with mg426, the problem is current overdraw not leakage. Don't MH bulbs become harder to light with age? I'm assuming these are magnetic ballasts, so increased current draw when firing older bulbs might explain it. It's not unheard of for a mag ballast to draw 7-8amps when firing a bulb. Test the breaker by loading the circuit (the hair dryer is a good idea), then try firing different combinations of your 3 bulbs together. You may find that one ballast is going bad and drawing excessive current. __________________ Beware the power of stupid people in large groups..... Current Tank Info: formerly 250g room divider

04/13/2006, 09:52 AM	#6
bergzy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OC CA USA Posts: 5,299	thanks for the replies guys!!! i am already in contact with giesemann and the tech is trying to figure it out as well. the ballasts are electronic and make a weird sound just beofre the bulg fires up...so the tech said it might be the starter...no big deal for most light set up's but with my giesemann pendant...all the wiring...everything...ballast, started, transformer etc is wired internally into the fixture itself...you know what that means...yep, a lot of work!!!!! __________________ The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it. H.L. Mencken Ben. Current Tank Info: 180g sps, 90g cube clam biotope.

04/13/2006, 07:37 AM	#5
Mr. Ugly Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,159	Also, breakers can get weak and trip with less current.

04/13/2006, 12:42 PM	#7
sttroyiii Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 378	What else is on the same circuit, including other rooms of the house? I suggest turning off the breaker and see what else in the house goes off. You said equipment doesnt come close, but you might not be expecting things pulling more current during startup like motors. Motors can pull 200% of their rated amperage on startup. If it is indeed the lights, you might be able to stagger their start up times so they arent all coming on at the same time. If any motors- pumps, chillers, etc. are on the same circuit, you need to have another dedicated circuit run to your equipment area and put the motors on that circuit.

04/13/2006, 01:40 PM	#8
rgasco1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 159	As a breaker gets older and trip more they get weaker. I had to replace mine because I was having the same problem. If you do replace it make sure you put the same type breaker in. Dont put a 20 amp where a 15 amp breaker was.