1968 GE lighting controls

readydave8

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
I had worked on touchplate systems but not GE, never was fun but always suceeded

I'm stumped on this one, mainly because I can't grasp the pattern. Individually, each switch works normally. But turning off one switch will turn off the other switches in the area.

The switches are GE RFS6. Relays are RR-4 (or similar, that one is designed to power pilot light).

I brought customer's backup inventory with me, thought I could breadboard at shop using any 24v transformer. But looking up online, see that GE has a rectifier after transformer.

I know I'm not giving enough information for anyone to troubleshoot. Hoping someone reading this has experience with these systems, and can give me some tips.

Meanwhile, is it possible that existing rectifier has failed, and is creating these ghosty issues?
 
It sounds like it's working, and there may be master switches that operate groups.

Individually, each switch works normally. But turning off one switch will turn off the other switches in the area.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a contradiction. Can you please clarify?
 
LarryFine said:
It sounds like it's working, and there may be master switches that operate groups.



This sounds like a contradiction. Can you please clarify?
Click to expand...
Work normally if turn one light on and turn back off. If several lights are on, turning just one off may switch others off that are not on same switch
 
Master switch as in they're intended to work that way? Not according to customer, he said they would not do that originally

For example 3gang, individually each turns a light on and off

But if all 3 are on, turning one off makes the other 2 go off

They are 3wire switches, common-on coil-off coil
 
readydave8 said:
For example 3gang, individually each turns a light on and off

But if all 3 are on, turning one off makes the other 2 go off
Click to expand...
Is that one switch one of the three, two or all, or a separate switch?

Is this unwanted all-off consistent, i.e., does it happen every time?
 
I've installed them before and always used the rectified voltage. I know the relays themselves will work AC Or DC.
Could this failed operation be caused by a failed rectifier and the system is now operating AC.
 
LarryFine said:
Is that one switch one of the three, two or all, or a separate switch?

Is this unwanted all-off consistent, i.e., does it happen every time?
Click to expand...
3 separate switches (on despard yoke)

Switch A -- Lite A
Switch B -- Lite B
Switch C -- Lite C

All good

But if all 3 are on, turning off Switch C turns all 3 off

Consistently or usually? Will investigate further tomorrow
 
readydave8 said:
Diode would either be in rectifier, or in a master switch I presume?
Click to expand...
I believe there would need to be a diode between the master switch and each relay it operates.

That isolates each individual switch and relay from the others. (Two diodes for master on & off.)
 
readydave8 said:
So what do I need to know in order to select replacement diodes?
Click to expand...
I would think a 1N4001 (50v, 1a) would suffice.

Just one of many:

GE RR7 Relays / gar

Every time I see one of these lighting control panels I think of gar. So today I snapped some pictures of a removed lighting control panel. He is a fan of these older reliable relays as am I. I thought he might like to see they are still being used with updated control systems.
forums.mikeholt.com
 
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