Insteon Relay Power Ratings

Mike

Senior Member
I'm trying to make sure I understand this correctly:

(from the Insteon Relay switch page)
13 Amp Capacity
Maximum load is 13-amps for resistive loads, 480-watts for incandescent and inductive loads.

So for flourescent lighting, this would be (13 amps * 110 volts) = 1430 watts max

Is that correct? If this is the case then I suspect I don't have an issue with the basement anymore...
 
Mike,

Someone may correct me, but wouldn't the ballast transformers be considered an INDUCTIVE load, therefore the 480 watts would apply ?
 
That would make a lot of sense, when I checked originally I found dimmable inductive loads, but based on your comment it seems you are correct. This would mean the 480 w is the one to go by. It also means (I think) that there is no Insteon in my future for the main basement area (I am pretty sure the wattage is too high). I also wondered as I never saw 1000w relay switches (but it may just be that I have an unusual setup, which the previous owner did have a fascination with flourescent lighting it seems)....

As far as the 13 amp resistive, isn't all lighting resistive?

The way it was worded I wasn't sure if I was missing something.
 
Mike said:
As far as the 13 amp resistive, isn't all lighting resistive?
AFAIK, HID (high intensity discharge) lighting is not resistive. But then it is pretty rare for interior residential use. HID is used mainly for exterior lighting, i.e. street lights, etc.

Maybe their "Maximum load is 13-amps for resistive loads" could be better worded as "Maximum load is 13-amps for PURELY resistive loads"? But then you would have people arguing that almost nothing is purely resistive, as almost everything has a least a little inductance in it?
 
But aren't incandescent lights almost purely resistive? Maybe, but the capacitance in the wires cancels it. ;)

No, seriously. I wonder why they mix up the incandescent lights with the inductive loads. I would consider fluorescent as inductive (magnetic ballast, and in practical terms the electronic ballast too). Also any motor, but not the incandescent.
 
elcano said:
But aren't incandescent lights almost purely resistive? Maybe, but the capacitance in the wires cancels it. ;)

No, seriously. I wonder why they mix up the incandescent lights with the inductive loads. I would consider fluorescent as inductive (magnetic ballast, and in practical terms the electronic ballast too). Also any motor, but not the incandescent.
The inrush current through a cold incandescent filiment is very high, dropping rapidly as the filiment gets hot. This is why bulbs usually blow when you first turn them on and the filiment is cold. This is also why soft-on ramp rates extends bulb life as does a trickle current through the bulb when it is off.
 
I too have read it is the inrush current for Incadescent Light Bulbs limits the ratings.
 
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