Rako lighting systems

stalkera · Nov 29, 2023

Any of you guys and girls out there work on Rako lighting systems?

plugsandsparks · Nov 29, 2023

Come across them every now and again. Whats the issue, Rako have quite good tech support if you just need some help,

stalkera · Nov 30, 2023

plugsandsparks said:
Come across them every now and again. Whats the issue, Rako have quite good tech support if you just need some help,

Thanks for coming back on this. 1st I agree, they do have good tech support. I think this is more of a man on the ground type job.

Basically I keep get fuses blowing in the old style toroidal transformers (though the lamps are LEDs) and the RCD trips. Though I don't know if the blown fuse is tripping the RCD or the other way round.

plugsandsparks · Nov 30, 2023

Can you upload a pic of the dimming module which is blowing fuses. I have had units blow fuses and the units can be sent back to Rako for repair. Need to make sure that your loads are balanced so you dont have too much lighting on one channel. You may also have a fault on the cable from the unit to the lights, again easy to test. Most electricians should be able to deal with this, its not the programming side which requires their software, just checking the loads and wiring, which is what any electrician can do. If it is the unit that is faulty, the old ones just have dip switches (if the unit needs to be repaired) when it comes back just remember which switches were in what position (photo it) and which cable goes to which channel.

stalkera · Dec 2, 2023

This is system - I think its fairly new.

I realise that there are several (8?) modules per box - but I don't think this is the problem as several circuits started doing this at the same time after being stable for well over a year. The lighting is well spread out over the circuits, but several different switchplates are in control of the same circuit - think of landing switching ++. Could this be causing the problem?

[ElectriciansForums.net] Rako lighting systems

plugsandsparks · Dec 2, 2023

"I keep get fuses blowing in the old style toroidal transformers"

Where are the fuses that are blowing ?

No problem with several switches operating the same light.

Is the issue (s) confined to ccts on the same module or across both modules, also how are the modules powered from the "fuse box" one cct or two , a photo of the fusebox showing the lighting cct MCBs and RCDs will also help.

stalkera · Dec 3, 2023

Hi,

the real fuses are in the transformers, you can make them out at the top of the case 3.15a slow blow.

Its the RCB that runs the Rako boxes that is tripping. I wondering if it is the indictive load that is blowing the fuses when RCB trips?

Avo Mk8 · Dec 3, 2023

Also in each transformer box as well as the fuse appears to be a varistor surge limiter in series with the toroidal transformer, which is there to reduce the inductive surge. I don't believe they are prone to fail short-circuit, but that might explain the tripping and fuse blowing. Rako could maybe confirm if this is a known problem, and supply replacement parts?
I don't see any residual current breakers, only MCB's.

plugsandsparks · Dec 3, 2023

As AVO mentioned, there is not an RCD in the fusebox you have photographed , this looks like a sub board off your main fuseboard ? where there may be an RCD, if it is the B10 MCBs that are tripping this makes sense if the fuse is also blowing, however i am confused about the role of these transformers , are they remote from the Rako kit as it looks like the actual lights are commoned together on the output of the transformers.

Dont suppose you have the Rako project file to hand ?

What i would have expected is that each lighting zone is connected to an output directly of the Rak dimming unit. So do these transformers work for just 2 zones, if so, and the lamps are LED , i would be looking at removing them and installing the appropriate dimming LED driver to replace these transformers.

Again a call to Rako will confirm whether these transformers are appropriate for this installation. I suspect not

stalkera · Dec 4, 2023

Avo Mk8 said:
Also in each transformer box as well as the fuse appears to be a varistor surge limiter in series with the toroidal transformer, which is there to reduce the inductive surge. I don't believe they are prone to fail short-circuit, but that might explain the tripping and fuse blowing. Rako could maybe confirm if this is a known problem, and supply replacement parts?
I don't see any residual current breakers, only MCB's.

Hi Avo Mk8,

thanks for joining in here. You are correct re the MCB - and it is the unit 1 switch that is tripping. There is an RCD upstream of this but this is not tripping. I will try Rako, about known problem with old skool toroidals. However the "boxes" have WML-300 dimmers (for leading edge dimmable loads) which are intended for inductive loads. TBH - I was planning to replace them with modern drivers anyway. In any case they had previously been working happily for over 12 months .

stalkera · Dec 4, 2023

plugsandsparks said:
As AVO mentioned, there is not an RCD in the fusebox you have photographed , this looks like a sub board off your main fuseboard ? where there may be an RCD, if it is the B10 MCBs that are tripping this makes sense if the fuse is also blowing, however i am confused about the role of these transformers , are they remote from the Rako kit as it looks like the actual lights are commoned together on the output of the transformers.

Dont suppose you have the Rako project file to hand ?

What i would have expected is that each lighting zone is connected to an output directly of the Rak dimming unit. So do these transformers work for just 2 zones, if so, and the lamps are LED , i would be looking at removing them and installing the appropriate dimming LED driver to replace these transformers.

Again a call to Rako will confirm whether these transformers are appropriate for this installation. I suspect not

Yes. Correct re the MCBs blowing and it being a sub-board off the main RCD unit. The lamps are 12v retrofit MR11s and hence need the transformer (one per circuit each with around 9 lamps), there were halogens previous and hence the transformer is a bit over-clubbed for the LEDs. There is one WML-300 dimming unit per transformer. Yes I am planning to change the drivers for something more modern - but there seems to be Rako-phobia amongst the local sparkies - do you do jobs in London? I renamed the project file as a jpg as otherwise I can't upload here - hopefully that works.

stalkera · Dec 4, 2023

plugsandsparks said:
As AVO mentioned, there is not an RCD in the fusebox you have photographed , this looks like a sub board off your main fuseboard ? where there may be an RCD, if it is the B10 MCBs that are tripping this makes sense if the fuse is also blowing, however i am confused about the role of these transformers , are they remote from the Rako kit as it looks like the actual lights are commoned together on the output of the transformers.

Dont suppose you have the Rako project file to hand ?

What i would have expected is that each lighting zone is connected to an output directly of the Rak dimming unit. So do these transformers work for just 2 zones, if so, and the lamps are LED , i would be looking at removing them and installing the appropriate dimming LED driver to replace these transformers.

Again a call to Rako will confirm whether these transformers are appropriate for this installation. I suspect not

You are correct, it is the MCB that is tripping - there is an RCD upstream, but this seems to be fine.

I do have the project file, but the website only allows JPGs (I did rename - but it rejected the whole message!).

Each zone/circuit has its own transformer (powering several lamps) and its own Rako WML-300 dimmer (for leading edge dimmable loads). These are the right ones for inductive loads and were working fine for over 12 months until this suddenly started happening.

I am certainly interested in replacing the toroidal for something more modern but the local sparkies I have spoken to seem Rako-phobic, which is the main reason I came to thee forum. Do you do jobs in East London?

plugsandsparks · Dec 4, 2023

No i dont work south of Rugby, thats why i was trying to advise remotely -

You have a couple of options change all the MR11s for 240V GU10s dimmable and ditch the transformer altogether, trick here is to make sure the dimmable GU10s match the existing dimming module in the Rako.

Another option is to change the lamps to 350mA constant current type, rewire them into series and install a dimmable constant current driver in place of transformer (this is generally how its done as it solves most compatability issues and most drivers i have found can handle leading or trailing edge and give very good dimming range and minimal flicker

Change transformer to dimmable 12 V driver, keep existing lamps.

Either way its less of a Rako matter and more matching lamps to drivers and drivers to Rako leading edge dimming module. If you dont want to change the Rako in any way you can solve this with lamps and drivers.

BTW, are you actually dimming these lamps or are they simply on/off ?

AVO's point about the in-rush device expiry could be why they are failing now but TBH i have never connected Toroidals to electronic dimmers just never felt right

plugsandsparks · Dec 4, 2023

Just occured to me that these lamps could be in a bathroom or en-suite which may be why they were kept at 12V in the first place, if so, its almost certain that option 1 converting to 240V lamps wont fly due to regs.

stalkera · Dec 5, 2023

There isn't much space in the ceiling void height (hence I suspect the original use of MR11s) - also the lamp wiring isn't earthed, does this matter if I upgraded to 240v GU10s (ex bathroom)?

I was leaning towards the dimmable 12V driver and leaving the lamps in parallel - but as you mentioned it, does the series approach tend to have less compatibility issues?

Rako suggest that their leading edge dimmer modules work with LEDs, but I might have to switch to t/e if they flicker too much. TBH I don't use the dimmer much except I think 37% which was the lowest I could go on the current set-up.

Now I know more about this, I'm rather surprised that the installers didn't mention about switching out the toriadals when they installed the system - which is kind of reason I'm looking elsewhere now!

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