Cheap Waffer led lights tripping Square d Homline AFCI

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AC\DC

Senior Member
Location
Florence,Oregon,Lane
Occupation
EC
Hello, Still on the same job as my previous post about a power gate for residents. So GC purchased some slim wafer led lights. They are not a name brand and seem like cheap amazon lights. So I went to power them all on today when they tripped the AFCI. I disconnect the light starting from the first, then second and so fourth till AFCI stop tripping. The first one holds, The second held about 50% and the other tripped the AFCI. I decided to leave the light off and just power the transformers to see if there is something wrong with one of them. They would trip it about 50% also. In the Master bed all these same lights work. Swapped the AFCI with the master to see if it was the AFCI but that did not fix it. Put them all on standard breaker and they all work. This also happens in the bathroom and utility rm that is on the circuit.

I have yet to experience any bad effects of a Combination AFCI. The House is only about 8 years old so the panel is new. Any ideas.
 
Are the lights UL listed or other recognized testing agency listed such as ETL, CSA US?.
Article 410 requires all luminaires to be listed.
 
Is the master bedroom further from the panel than the lights that are tripping the AFCIs? Just asking in case that might provide some clue.
 
Reaching for straws, but you might verify the continuity of the ECG on the problem light circuit if you haven't already done so.
 
I took voltage reading to the EGC with 120volts same for grounded conductor and no voltage between the EGC and grounded conductor. It was end of the day so did not have a lot of time to check it out
 
In my experience 90% of the time an issue with a tripping AFCI is a result of a neutral ground bond or co-mingled neuters somewhere. It could be that you need a certain of of load on the circuit for the AFCI to detect it which is why it holds with one light but not more. Try putting in a normal breaker in, and disconnect the neuter conductor and see if the lights come on. If they do, there is a N-G or N-N connection somewhere.
 
Another thing you might try is putting an incandescent light on the circuit wherever it's most convenient, which would apply some damping on the circuit. At this point I'm not proposing this as a solution to the problem, but at least it might help point out why it's tripping.
 
Beaches EE said:
Cheap Wafer led lights tripping Square d Homline AFCI
Click to expand...
Knew I saw it somewhere :) Didn't look at Title
asked because Siemens has a person looking at the problem specifically as there have been so many problems with LEDv vs AFCI
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top