LED lighting tripping RCD

[Papawhitt]

Hi Guy's, im looking for a little professional guidance,

I have recently replaced my kitchen lighting from compact fluorescent and GLS lamps with LED down lights and strips.
Both switched from a double wall switch, single pole.
The entire down stairs lighting circuit is protected by a MEM M6 Type 1 5A RCD.
The down light circuit is on one switch and the LED strips on the other.
The down lights do not cause an issue.
The strips trip the RCD approximately 5 times out of 10 on switch on, however if the light switch is left in the on position the RCD resets with no re-tripping and the strips operate with no other problem.
The total wattages are both much lower than the previous lighting circuit.
I have checked each strip for short circuit but all operate perfectly on there own.
I am thinking the 12v constant voltage drivers are causing a spike/In rush?
would changing my RCD be the answer?

I thank you in anticipation of your assistance

Best regards

Papawhitt

 

[ImpededLoop]

Hi,

Firstly, from your description, I think you're referring to an mcb (miniature circuit breaker) rather than an rcd.

The problem sounds like it is inrush current on start up. You have said that it's a type 1 breaker which could possibly be changed by a type 2 of the same value. However, the circuit would need testing by an electrician first to ensure that a type 2 device would be suitable. The only problem is that the old M6 breakers are obsolete so you may have to source one second hand.

Best advice is to get an electrician to have a look.

 

[Papawhitt]

I appreciate your quick response and advice, thank you very much

Hi,

Firstly, from your description, I think you're referring to an mcb (miniature circuit breaker) rather than an rcd.

The problem sounds like it is inrush current on start up. You have said that it's a type 1 breaker which could possibly be changed by a type 2 of the same value. However, the circuit would need testing by an electrician first to ensure that a type 2 device would be suitable. The only problem is that the old M6 breakers are obsolete so you may have to source one second hand.

Best advice is to get an electrician to have a look.

 

[HandySparks]

Hi,

Firstly, from your description, I think you're referring to an mcb (miniature circuit breaker) rather than an rcd.

The problem sounds like it is inrush current on start up. You have said that it's a type 1 breaker which could possibly be changed by a type 2 of the same value. However, the circuit would need testing by an electrician first to ensure that a type 2 device would be suitable. The only problem is that the old M6 breakers are obsolete so you may have to source one second hand.

Best advice is to get an electrician to have a look.

Yes.

I've changed drivers on LED strips to ones with lower inrush. I tested the 24V constant voltage ones from this range and found them to be well behaved:
Electronic Components/Optoelectronics/LED Drivers | Rapid Online

 

[Marvo]

Two things that immediately spring to mind. Firstly the LED light strip drivers probably have internal surge arrestors. When surge arrestors actually 'arrest' a surge it would be seen by the RCD as a fault current.

Secondly the RCD is supplying other circuits and the earth leakage it sees is the cumulative leakage of all those circuits simultaneously. Consequently if there's already a reasonably high amount of standing leakage on the other circuits even a small amount of extra leakage introduced by the LED drivers might be enough to take it past the tripping threshold.

You need special test equipment to check leakage currents and it's very expensive so the only way you're going to 100% resolve this is to get some help from an experienced sparky.

 

[Papawhitt]

Yes.

I've changed drivers on LED strips to ones with lower inrush. I tested the 24V constant voltage ones from this range and found them to be well behaved:
Electronic Components/Optoelectronics/LED Drivers | Rapid Online

Thank you for taking the time to respond, I dont really want to change the whole system to 24v hopefully there is an easier solution

 

[Papawhitt]

Thank you for your reply,the problem is a little more complexed than I thought, I am not even going try and say I understand the principles of earth leakage.
However I am having my bathroom renovated in a couple of weeks and my fitter contracts out the electrical work so i will run my problem past the sparky when he comes

 

[HandySparks]

Thank you for taking the time to respond, I dont really want to change the whole system to 24v hopefully there is an easier solution

If you look at the page I linked to, there are 12V ones too.