Compact fluorescents use an electronic ballast. Depending on the lamp,
there may be some large inrush currents when they are 1st switched on.
Maybe you are just on the boarder line. Just a guess. You might try
turning on only 1/2 the lights. If it works, you could use 2 relays
with different time delays so they don't come on at the same time.

BTW, I know you mentioned 12 volt CFs. There are some CF spring-shaped
lamps available like the ones at
http://www.realgoods.com/shop/shop3....=spring%20lamp.

Anyway, just another thought.

Nick Hull wrote:
In article , CJT
wrote:


Nick Hull wrote:

In article , Bob Urz wrote:



Nick Hull wrote:



I'm using a cheap 300 watt inverter with 2 golf cart batteries to power
emergency lights during power failures. I found that 12 vdc
flourescents were expensive and had short lives, so I'm using 110vac CFs
powered by the 300 watt inverter. Works very well EXCEPT for an
occasional glitch, where the inverter turns off due to a transient hab
has to be manually reset.

I'm not sure where the transient comes from, I can not duplicate it in
tests. The inverter is connected to the batterys and a float charger
keeps them topped. Plugging & unplugging the float charger does
nothing. The Inverter output goes around the house to various CF bulbs
on manual switches and one automatic switch, maybe 50' total wiring some
of which parallels existing house power wiring but no motors or heavy
loads.

Not much info, wut what could be causing the glitch that turns my
inverter off and how might I fix it or troubleshoot the problem?


Maybe your ballast don't like the SQUARE WAVE output your cheap inverter
is putting out? How hot are your ballast's? How many watts of load?
Continuous rating of your inverter? How hot is the inverter?
Maybe a higher rated sine wave inverter would solve your problems.


The lights work well with the Sq (modified sine) wave output, ballasts
run cool and the inverter runs cool. The problem SEEMS to occur when
the power goes out and comes back on so there are surges on the mains.


I'd look closely at your automatic switch. Perhaps it's generating
an RF pulse when it switches state that is somehow reaching your
inverter. The solution might be as simple as a capacitor across the
switch, or a cheap filter between it and the inverter.


My 'automatic switch' is just a DC relay powered from the AC mains with
rectification and a capacitor. If the power fails the cap will hold the
relay in for 10 seconds, then it drops out to energize the CF light. I
don't see any RF pulse there, do you?