Flickering on SSR while off

[Steven010]

Hand Build Renard with on-board SSRs on perf PCB, Have some channels that "flicker" while off. probably 60 cycles, seems like unloaded case with floating gate trigger. Not sure reason, anyone seen this before? Do I need snubber or load gate pin down?

MOC3023
BTA08
330 ohms between MOC3023 and BTA08
510 ohms from PIC to MOC3023
MAY HAVE A1 and A2 backwards???should this matter?

[Matt]

Have you isolated the problem to the SSR part of the circuit? Can you break the connection between the PIC and the MOC3023? (if you used IC sockets, you can just pull out the PIC) IMO, this is more likely to be a Renard problem than one with the SSR. Check your ZC signal on the Renard, for starters.

What kind of load do you have on the SSR's?

What are A1 and A2?

-Matt

[P. Short]

Swapping A1 and A2 will probably keep it from working right...what you need to do is make sure that the output of the opto is between the G and A2 pins... G -> opto-output, other_opto_output->gate_resistor-> A2.

[Steven010]

I believe it is possible on a few units I have A1 and A2 backwards. I do not see in the spec where this makes a difference. Is the gate dependant on a specific leg?

[Steven010]

Zero crossing is correct. firmware on pic is old, but quite functional. I have a few 8-channels that work fine, a few that have channels that flicker. I will try unplugging PIC while this is happening to see if persists.

I have the worst offending unit right now on bench with scope, it REFUSES to flicker (of corse!) even though it will do it 100% of the time at HOME!!!! Just my luck...

[phenagan]

The fact that it's not flickering @ work might be a clue that it's related to a power line issue. Might want to try putting it on a good quality filtering power strip at home and see if that solves the problem.

[ErnieHorning]

How are you detecting the zero cross?

Is the zero crossing signal passing through a cable and then to the Renard? If so, how long?

[P. Short]

The gate voltage (and current) is defined wrt A1. The triac is triggered when the gate voltage is more than a certain voltage away from the A1 terminal (in either direction) such that the specified current flows from the Gate to the A1 pin.

[ErnieHorning]

It turns out that it works from either side.

I patterned my SSR’s off of Seans layout. Someone asked about this awhile ago and I found out mine are backwards too.

They’ve been working fine, though I don’t put much load on them. The difference is that the gate voltage will end up being less than it should be. If I remember right, it’s the difference of a diode drop.

[Steven010]

I am using H11AA1 for zero. the PIC, the ZeroC, the Maxim transcvier, the MOC3023, the BTA08, all on the same PCB.

[Goldie]

l have the same problem with some of my ssr's, they flicker with nothing on only the light connected, l am narrowing it down to the connection blocks, there seems to be some sort of cross over happening, l have taken the opto's out and still get the same problem. this is happening to 4 out of 8 ssr's l have tried.

l'll be replacing the connection blocks on the weekend to see if that fixes the problem

[jrock64]

Zero crossing is correct. firmware on pic is old, but quite functional. I have a few 8-channels that work fine, a few that have channels that flicker. I will try unplugging PIC while this is happening to see if persists.

How old??

The following modification dates may be of interest.

08 Apr 2007 PJS folded in the lockout code (still set up for 60 hz only)
29 Dec 2007 PJS fixed bug that left all lights on at power-up.

Just a thought.

Joel

[RDWizard]

I am having the same problem but mine is consistent. The same lights flicker with the same sequence every time. Go Figure....I will post if I find anything.

Serial/ZC -> RenC -> Grinch

[Wayne J]

I am having the same problem but mine is consistent. The same lights flicker with the same sequence every time. Go Figure....I will post if I find anything.

Serial/ZC -> RenC -> Grinch

If that is the only time they do it, then I look at the sequence. Make sure nothing is there.

[Steven010]

well, I found my flicker. The MOC3023 was failing. In fact, the failure was causing adjacent channels to also be affected. The root cause was I overheated the Triac due to overcurrent. Apparently, overheating Triac will cause the opto to fail, not sure why. My bad. Sad part was, I split up the load, and blew another channel out of same controller after I fixed it. On the fault channel, I have 2- C9, 4- icecle lights, 3 rope lights, and 4 snow flakes. I have decided to use an external SSR I bought from surplus store, 25A brick style, for just that channel. This will surely handle the load.

I have flicker on one arch also, I suspect same issue, but not same cause. The arch has one strand per channel. However, i expect to find Opto out again.

Comments?

[RDWizard]

Flickering gone!!!!!:p:p:p

I removed the return cable to the RenC.

[Steven010]

OK- Im stumped. What return?

[RDWizard]

I removed the short ethernet jumper cable coming from the out of the Grinch to the in of the RenC.