Low earth current leakage Ballasts

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Kopper

Member
Location
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I am trying to find a florescent ballast that will work on a ground fault circuit. The issue is on a small job site office trailer that has two, two bulb, four foot, T8 florescent lights with Eaton electronic ballasts installed in it. When it is plugged into the required GFCI circuit on the job site it immediately trips the GFCI. There is another trailer on the job site with three, two foot, single bulb, T8, electronic ballast florescent lights installed in it that work great. i seem to have trouble locating electronic ballasts for four foot T8 lights that are a low leakage current ballast. Any help, suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
 

jmattero

Member
I had a similar problem with an incandescant on a gfi circuit. I traced the problem to a shared neutral. In other words two different circuits ran partially through the same neutral. It was done to get 3way switches to eork using 14/2 wire.

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kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I agree with the others there is something being missed on other components.

If anything try temporarily substituting some other load that otherwise holds on a different GFCI at the outlet location, even just a 60 watt incandescent lamp. If that still trips - you need to look at the branch circuit wiring for your problem.
 

Kopper

Member
Location
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I spoke with tech support at universal lighting and the technician said that a magnetic ballast would work but an electronic ballast has too much current leakage to work on a GFCI. He felt that none of the major ballast manufacturers would make a low leakage T8 electronic ballast but felt there might be a small manufacturer that would make them. I did find that universal lighting does make a low leakage T12 fixture but I have been unable to locate a low leakage T8...
 

Haji

Banned
Location
India
The EMI filter in the electronic ballast causes leakage current. Measure the leakage current in the EGC ( or more accurately, place phase and neutral conductors to the lamp together in a suitable clamp meter and measure the leakage current) for each two bulb four feet, T8 florescent light with Eaton electronic ballasts in it. If it is less so that GFCI will not trip, use separate GFCI for each florescent lights fitting.
 
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Kopper

Member
Location
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
One of the lights by itself comes on sometimes but when both are hooked together the breaker trips every time. The breaker is a 20 amp Cutler Hammer CH Arc Fault/Ground Fault combo breaker.
 

jumper

Senior Member
One of the lights by itself comes on sometimes but when both are hooked together the breaker trips every time. The breaker is a 20 amp Cutler Hammer CH Arc Fault/Ground Fault combo breaker.

Now that changes things. AFCI is a whole different ball of wax compared to GFCI.

Does the breaker have indicators saying which function it tripped on?
 

Kopper

Member
Location
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Just for the record I spoke with another ballast technician from keystone ballast and he said the same thing. An electronic ballast will not work on a GFCI. The smaller florescent lights simply work because there is less current and therefore less leakage. I will install only a GFCI and give that a try as was suggested... I will report my findings.
 

jumper

Senior Member
Just for the record I spoke with another ballast technician from keystone ballast and he said the same thing. An electronic ballast will not work on a GFCI. The smaller florescent lights simply work because there is less current and therefore less leakage. I will install only a GFCI and give that a try as was suggested... I will report my findings.

I am still not buying it. There are probably millions of T-8 ballasts installed and if all those ballasts were leaking enough current to trip a GFCI, 4-6mA, that a lot of people would be getting shocked when relamping and and such.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
I thought the product standards limited the maximum leakage current to less than 1/2 mA. If that is the case, you would need 10 ballasts to get into the GFCI trip range.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
I am still not buying it. There are probably millions of T-8 ballasts installed and if all those ballasts were leaking enough current to trip a GFCI, 4-6mA, that a lot of people would be getting shocked when relamping and and such.
I'm not buying it either. If I get a chance I will rig something up on the test bench.
 
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