I canna help it Cap't, we're losing power

[synnie]

Hooked up all my ropelights (ringgrip 12v ) for the roof yesterday.tested them all to make sure they are working.Have them set up to run in parallel so each pair of ropelights can run on 24VAC through SSROZ's.Have 12 pairs of lights.power out of toroidal transformer (25VAC 300VA) is fine, when i tested the lights i had 25VAC at the roof.Have set up all SSR's which were working fine on the ground and the ones i have tested on the roof had 5vdc on the opto's. Have the 25VAC hooked up but it is only showing 14VAC on the roof peak now and the wires from the transformer to the plug (7pin round trailer plug) get very hot.have tested all connections and i am using 3 lots of 24/0.20 FIG 8 wire. ie one run of this is the power to one SSROZ. Has anyone any ideas as to why i cant get full power at the top now, was fine when was testing lights. Of all the times of the year to be working flat out, and its bloody raining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers Synnie

(PS wjohn, those DCSSR's sound real good now)

[Doug-in-the-woods]

Have them set up to run in parallel so each pair of ropelights can run on 24VAC through SSROZ's.Have 12 pairs of lights.power out of toroidal transformer (25VAC 300VA) is fine, when i tested
Are you sure you don't mean series? If you have them set up in parallel 12v rope lights then you running 24v to the rope lights not 12v.
Am assuming the 24/0.2 fig8?? is 24 gague wire??
sounds kinda small for all that current. could be why the plug is getting hot?
I would start from ground zero and check all your calculations, connections using an ohm meter etc.
It may just be something very simple but without knowing all the particulars it is hard to decipher.
Hope this helps

[synnie]

Sorry, they run in series so that they can run on 24V. the wire i am using is 24/0.20 which is 24 strands of 0.20mm wire. after a bit of searching have found it is equivelant to 18guage per section of figure 8 cable
SPEAKER CABLE FIG 8 H/D 2 x 24/0.20
Size: 2 x 24/0.20
Voltage Rating: 300V AC
Current Rating: 7.5 Amps
Dimensions: 2.6 x 5.1mm
Conductor Area: 0.75mm2
Conductor Gauge: 18AWG
Temperature Rating: 90°C
so ill say that would be fine.Had no trouble when i was running power direct to the lights, when i hooked up the SSR's then it dropped voltages.Recheck all now while i can

[synnie]

Well have spent the last hours checking and rechecking all connections . I have 25VAC to the roof direct from the transformer. the ropelights work fine when connected direct to the power. When i wire the SSR's into the circuit it drops to 16VAC across the same wires with the SSR's in the off position or on position.The ropelights are a Ringgrip 12V brand which i have wired up so 2 sections can run on 24V. The main power cable is 24/0.20 and i have short sections of 14/0.20 which run from ssr to the lights (200mm long). has me totally stuffed....

[holtm]

It has to be the SSR or the controller not letting it have full wave. Are you using Renard or Olsen? If it is Olsen then check the power and make sure it is 5v steady or test the SSR by supplying 5v directly. If you are using Renard then you will have to test the SSR by supplying 5v. That should narrow it down to the controller or the SSR.

[synnie]

Im using NI PCI DIO96 cards running through ULN2803's to power the SSR's.have 5v to SSR's no probs,and am running 24VDC through half of the ULN's for LED strings without a problem.Have tested hockey puck SSR's and they might work so will swap em all over tomorrow (4am and just home from work)

[AI]

Im using NI PCI DIO96 cards running through ULN2803's to power the SSR's.have 5v to SSR's no probs,and am running 24VDC through half of the ULN's for LED strings without a problem.Have tested hockey puck SSR's and they might work so will swap em all over tomorrow (4am and just home from work)

You have a short are a cross connectoin in your SSRs. AI

[AI]

Hooked up all my ropelights (ringgrip 12v ) for the roof yesterday.tested them all to make sure they are working.Have them set up to run in parallel so each pair of ropelights can run on 24VAC through SSROZ's.Have 12 pairs of lights.power out of toroidal transformer (25VAC 300VA) is fine, when i tested the lights i had 25VAC at the roof.Have set up all SSR's which were working fine on the ground and the ones i have tested on the roof had 5vdc on the opto's. Have the 25VAC hooked up but it is only showing 14VAC on the roof peak now and the wires from the transformer to the plug (7pin round trailer plug) get very hot.have tested all connections and i am using 3 lots of 24/0.20 FIG 8 wire. ie one run of this is the power to one SSROZ. Has anyone any ideas as to why i cant get full power at the top now, was fine when was testing lights. Of all the times of the year to be working flat out, and its bloody raining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers Synnie

(PS wjohn, those DCSSR's sound real good now)

Love the color of the tree, RGB? AI

[synnie]

HI AI, nope im using red and blue LEDs in seperate strings. one string of red then one of blue, look closely at the base and the colours are more defined and digi camera has a coronary trying to take pics of the tree