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Thread: Ecosystem and A.F.C.I.

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    19

    Ecosystem and A.F.C.I.

    Not sure if this is the appropriate area of the forum to ask about this but here goes. Has there ever been reported any issues with Ecosystem drivers causing false tripping of A.F.C.I. breakers? We've spec'd two systems using Eco, but one of our guys brought this up. Has anyone installed enough Eco drivers/fixtures on a single feed circuit to go beyond the old 1000 watt limit for dimmible load on some arc fault breakers? Yes I am aware of the Square D and Eaton breakers that ARE rated for the full circuit size, and no we haven't finished a system with Eco to find out for ourselves. Or, (hopefully), is this a non issue with the dimming technology of the Eco drivers?

    Thanks for any input!

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
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    420
    Hello oldguy,
    Ecosystem drivers/ballasts would not be an issue on AFCI breakers. The lighting in controlled strictly through the driver/ballast on the low voltage side. There would be no attenuation of the wave form between the breaker and the driver/ballast. With traditional phase control dimming, the dimmer is switching the current 120 times per second. This can cause a repetitive peak current condition that can trip the AFCI breakers. By sending straight line voltage to the Ecosystem ballast/driver there is no repetitive peak current condition.

  3. Thanks BradKas thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    14
    I had the same question and did some testing. I was specifically trying to avoid a problem we had had with fluorescent multi-volt ballasts causing AFCI tripping. I tested 5 EcoSystem fixtures in a variety of conditions (rapid dim, slow dim, flash, rapid on off). We had no problems. This was with a 20A SqD bolt-on AFCI.

    It seems Blair has answered this question definitively, just wanted you to have my anecdotal input.

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