Series circuit in airfield lighting

[Pepito Santos]

In most diagrams of airfield lighting using constant current (series circuit) it show the wiring in a loop where the outgoing and return cables are in separate conduits. Is this not causing problem due to inductance? I saw an incident in a 208V safety switch in which the electrician passed the conductors in separate knockouts and the switch vibrated. We will be installing new edge lights in a taxiway and planning to run (loop) a single wire around the taxiway and would like to avoid any problem on the system.

 

[GoldDigger]

One mitigating factor is that the current is lower than it would be for a parallel circuit.
The effect of inductive reactance will be less important with the high voltage of the series circuit and the magnetic effects of an unbalanced current passing through a ferromagnetic plate will be small for the range of current used in these circuits.
What was the current in the safetty switch where you noticed the vibration?

 

[Terminator5047]

Airfield lights are usually DC hence the loop. so be very careful don’t use non contact volt meters either the won’t work.