Dimmer 2 overcurrent problem

[treboR 3]

Hello,

 

I'm having a strange problem with multiple dimmer 2 modules.

 

When ever I connect a laptop charger ( of vacuum cleaner ) the modules will shut off and report overcurrent. After 5 seconds the light turns on again.

 

one of them has one Osram 30 - 105w transformer connected with 2 35w halogen spots behind it. So the load isn't the issue. The electric system is brand new ( new home ) and the modules are connected with 3 wires.

 

I've tried using a dimmer 2 bypass to maybe filter the "overcurrent" but that also does not work. This is pretty annoying since I have 40 of these in the house now. Would be a shame if this is normal..

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Robert

[akatar 207]

why are you plugging a vacuum cleaner to a dimmer??

[treboR 3]

Oh lol sorry, I mean in a power socket that is connected to the same fuse.

 

Sorry I was typing and watching TV at the same time

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[akatar 207]

just to get things straight

the dimmer is at another socket then the vacuumcleaner?

and the dimmer reports over current?

if so, is the dimmer installed as it should?

[petergebruers 1,265]

I'm pretty sure I've heard this before... But I don't know where... @treboR did you ask this question before, or perhaps on another forum?

Anyway, some months ago, I connected a vacuum cleaner, a drill and a compressor unit (2-phase induction motor, 2.5 HP). I could make the lamp blink an instant, with the compressor. But I am reasonably sure that was due to the high inrush current of the motor. The dimmer does not shut down and does not report an alarm.

You don't see any pattern to this? Like, some sockets influence some dimmers, but not others?

[treboR 3]

As far as I know I did not post this before because I did not have this problem with dimmer one.

 

To make things more clear :

 

The dimmer is connected to lights and nothing else. When turned on there is no problem ( unless some light flickering from time to time ? ) but as soon as I connect a laptop charger or vacuum cleaner ( on the same fuse as the dimmer creating a power surge, but should be no problem ) the dimmer shuts down and reports overcurrent.

[petergebruers 1,265]

I understand. Overcurrent seems odd to me. Would be more logical to sense over voltage or under voltage, put also unlikely. The only thing that comes to mind... maybe you have bypass 1 connected. I know that can cause overcurrent.

[treboR 3]

No It's clearly a bypass 2.. But with or without it gives the same problem.

[petergebruers 1,265]

I see. I hate to ask... but to eliminate another possibility... they're connected 100% as in the manual? Switches connected to Sx? And Sx not used for anything else? All "N" and "L" connections are really the same "N" and "L" per dimmer circuit? At the moment, I'm out of ideas. BTW what did support say?

[JohanSj 4]

I have the same issue. When I start my vacuum cleaner (Miele with soft start) the light behind the dimmer 2, FGD212, goes down and comes back again after a few seconds. New home, 2-wire connection, correct connections, same fuse (and obviously the same phase). The dimmer is connected to lights and nothing else. Happens at several locations (different dimmers). My theory is that the vacuum cleaner creates s voltage drop that is sensed by the dimmer.

Not really a problem, but not really the way it should be.

[chaicka 195]

I am no electrical expert here. Just sharing an observation which can be reproduced easily.

 

Background:

Circuit A which connects back to a MCB is a pure lighting circuit (national standard where lighting circuit is 6A and cannot mix with power socket) with a few sub-circuits for 2 or 3 9W LED lights each circuit and a dedicated sub-circuit for dimmable dining light. A Fibaro Dimmer 2 is connected only to this dimmable dining light, nothing else.

 

Situation:

Whenever other sub-circuits' lights are quick toggled on and off repeatedly for multiple times (e.g. 3 or 5 or 10 times, random pattern), it will cause errors (e.g. over current error) on Fibaro Dimmer 2 and switch off the dimmable dining light (consumes only 10W usually and up to 18W at max).

 

I do not have the required electrical knowledge to analyse what may cause this. But this is reproducible and it cannot be the electrical circuits cause doing the same does not cause the same outcome with those other sub-circuits (which uses Fibaro 1x3kW Relay Switches).

[chaicka 195]

@treboR,

 

You may want to try disable the 'auto-calibration' or any supposedly 'smart/intelligent' feature of this Dimmer 2. See if that helps.

 

Just a suggestion based on a theory I have been thinking of.

[treboR 3]

@Chaicka,

 

I'll give it a shot. Although the calibration process is only triggered at first power on. I've played with all kinds of settings ( burned out bulb detection, max load and even the percentage of current change ) and nothing changes.

 

I have not contacted support about this.. But I wanted to know if I'm the only one ( thank god I'm not ). And like I say'd, my house is renovated but completely stripped. And the electric stuff is done by a company that wired everything with 3 wires.

 

@petergebruers,

 

The only thing that is different is that I use a normal phase wire on my momentary switches to pulse S1/S2. This should not be an issue since the switches are always open when not being manually used

[chaicka 195]

@Chaicka,

 

I'll give it a shot. Although the calibration process is only triggered at first power on. I've played with all kinds of settings ( burned out bulb detection, max load and even the percentage of current change ) and nothing changes.

 

I have not contacted support about this.. But I wanted to know if I'm the only one ( thank god I'm not ). And like I say'd, my house is renovated but completely stripped. And the electric stuff is done by a company that wired everything with 3 wires.

 

@petergebruers,

 

The only thing that is different is that I use a normal phase wire on my momentary switches to pulse S1/S2. This should not be an issue since the switches are always open when not being manually used

 

The situation I face does not happen on day-to-day use. It only happens when other lightings-only sub-circuits within the same circuit is toggled on and off very very quickly for multiple times. The steps do not happen every day so it is not bothering much. 

[petergebruers 1,265]

Connecting a switch to L instead of Sx is not recommended but I agree with you that reporting "over-current" does not seem to have anything to do with this...

If FGD-212 reports "over-current" then it's almost certainly true. You cannot disable it. The detection protects the switching element and it is a fixed part of the dimmer. There is no parameter to influence it. I don't know if the dimmer could "accidentally" report an over-current... but I doubt it. It's one of the more important differences between the new and the old dimmer.

Maybe the capacitive load of the LED can cause this if there is a sudden voltage change. I need to test that hypothesis.

Maybe it also depends on the make/model of the LED.

What kind of LEDs are you using? Would it be possible to try a different brand? I was testing with a Philips "Warm Glow" 9W (and it didn't show any problem).

I'll try some other lamps & setups by the end of the week.

[treboR 3]

I'm not using led.. I'm using halogen spots behind the dimmer ( with an Osram transformer ). The reason I tried the bypass was because my supplier asked me to try it, but too bad it did not make any difference.

 

I can get you some more info about these parts if you want. I can reproduce the error here any time I want

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[petergebruers 1,265]

The bypass keeps the voltage on the LED low when the dimmer is nearly off and that solves issues with LED and CFL that glow or flicker when the dimmer is turned off. You reported issues with the dimmer "on", when the bypass is "off". So knowing the operating principle, it doesn't surprise me that it did not have a positive effect. If you ever decide go with LED lighting, it's possible you need one of those. It depends...

When you say "Osram transformer" you mean a "Halotronic"? Do you know the part number?

I can't think of eny experiment at the moment. I'll try to find a combination of load & trigger (transformer, adapter) that has the same effect.

[treboR 3]

With the Osram transformers I mean these guys

 

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This is the exact same type.

[chaicka 195]

Connecting a switch to L instead of Sx is not recommended but I agree with you that reporting "over-current" does not seem to have anything to do with this...

If FGD-212 reports "over-current" then it's almost certainly true. You cannot disable it. The detection protects the switching element and it is a fixed part of the dimmer. There is no parameter to influence it. I don't know if the dimmer could "accidentally" report an over-current... but I doubt it. It's one of the more important differences between the new and the old dimmer.

Maybe the capacitive load of the LED can cause this if there is a sudden voltage change. I need to test that hypothesis.

Maybe it also depends on the make/model of the LED.

What kind of LEDs are you using? Would it be possible to try a different brand? I was testing with a Philips "Warm Glow" 9W (and it didn't show any problem).

I'll try some other lamps & setups by the end of the week.

 

The phenomena I shared have been observed by my supplier across several consumers' installation and no specific brand or model of LED lights. And it happens only if other switching within same circuit (links back to same 6/10A MCB) and the switching is done very very fast pace (on off on off on off on off on off - faction of seconds per toggling).

 

I am using Philips LED 9W down lights. I can take a video clip to show how to reproduce it.

[petergebruers 1,265]

Thanks for the extra information. I know enough to make a test setup.

[gijsbert 0]

Hello Peter,

 

I have the exact same problem. In my bedroom I have a dimmer2, all wires (3 wire system) connected correctly (100% sure). It's a new house and new electricity wires.

 

The light is working well, I can dim up and down, switch on and off. But as soon as I put a vacuum cleaner, a drilling machine (anything with high power) in one of the other wall outlets in my bedroom, the light turns off and the home center reports an overcurrent message.

 

However, the funny thing is that my bedroom and livingroom are on the same fuse. If I put on a vacuum cleaner in my living room, then the light in the bedroom just stays on the way it should be.

 

It looks like the more close you get to the location of the dimmer, the higher the chance it reports an overcurrent. It's weird behaviour and for sure not the way it should be.