Breaker tripping?

[lilouisianagal]

We left tonight after watching one of our songs and when we returned no lights were on. The breaker had tripped (actually that little red/black button on the wall socket) on that house circuit. We've had the show up and running for a couple of weeks with no recent changes. We have the LOR controllers (2) plugged into two 4-plug circuit breaker boxes that each plug into the outlets. We reset the house circuit and restarted the show, but a few minutes later it was off (house circuit tripped) again. The circuit breaker boxes are not tripped (they are 15 amp each). Any idea what could be causing this or how to fix it?

The only thing we could possibly think might be causing it is a light issue. One of our CDI LED blue net lights stopped working completely (middle in a string of three, with the other two working fine). This went out last week. I tried changing the fuse in it and it worked dimly/intermittently. A replacement is on the way. We noticed tonight that one of our CDI LED warm white strings on an arch wasn't going out completely. It comes on full like it should, but when it is "off" it is on at around 10-25% with flickering. The rest of our blue net lights (5 CDI LEDs) have always faded more slowly than anything else (they also don't go off evenly-they are patchy in how they fad). The fade is most noticeable when everything else goes "hard off" but they have a kind of "after glow". The bushes (net lights) have done this since we got them. The white string just started.

We did recently get a whole bunch of hard rain.

Here's what we have plugged in: (each channel uses green outdoor extension cords (13 amp?)
-2 speakers
-1 40 watt bulb connected to daylight sensor

-Controller 1:
Channel 1: 2 white LED strings
Channel 2: 2 spotlights (50 watt floodlight bulbs, halogen)
Channel 3: 3 white net lights (LED)
Channel 4: 5-8 blue LED strings
Channel 5: 3 blue net lights (LED)
Channel 6: ~50 ft blue rope light
Channel 7: 3 white LED strings
Channel 8: 2 strings incandescent icicle lights
-
Channel 9: 1 spotlight (50 watt spotlight bulb, halogen)
Channel 10: 1 spotlight (50 watt spotlight bulb, halogen)
Channel 11: 1 white LED string
Channel 12: 1 white LED string
Channel 13: 1 white LED string
Channel 14: 1 white LED string
Channel 15: 1 white LED string
Channel 16: 1 white LED string

-Controller 2:
Channel 1 (17): 1 white LED string
Channel 2 (18): ~50 ft blue rope light
Channel 3 (19): 2 spotlights (50 watt floodlight bulbs, halogen)
Channel 4 (20): 3 blue LED strings
Channel 5 (21): 3 blue LED bushes
Channel 6 (22): 1 white LED string
Channel 7 (23): 1 blue LED string
Channel 8 (24): 1 white LED string
-
Channel 9 (25): 1-2 strings incandescent icicle lights
Channel 10 (26): 1 white LED string
Channel 11 (27): 1 white LED string
Channel 12 (28): 1 white LED string
Channel 13 (29): 1 white LED string
Channel 14 (30): 1 white LED string
Channel 15 (31): 1 white LED string
Channel 16 (32): 1 white LED string

Also on the same house circuit:
-electric dog fence (low voltage)
-mini fridge
-small plant light on timer
-shed light (overhead)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know that might have been a lot of needless info, but we are flummoxed! Any help or advice is appreciated!

[james campbell]

is it still wet ,sounds like a gfci tripping,also the string on the arch may be a triac going bad, or you may also need a snubber on the led strings that are flickering

[Redbirdruss]

If you taped any of your connections together you may ahve a water build up. Also try and elevate any connections off the ground with a piece of wood or a light stake. You can also try running an extension cord from another circuit to determine which controller is causing the failure. At least that will narrow it down from 32 to 16 channels.

[Redbirdruss]

It is also possible that your GFCI has failed and needs to be replaced.

[lilouisianagal]

It's still damp outside. Is it water getting in the lights or the extension cords or what should I be looking for? Yes, the "red/black button" I referred to is the gfci--I couldn't remember the name.

Err uh, can you translate that last part? What does "triac going bad" mean? What do I do about it? What is a "snubber" ?

Thanks!

[Guest wbottomley]

lilouisianagal wrote:

It's still damp outside. Is it water getting in the lights or the extension cords or what should I be looking for? Yes, the "red/black button" I referred to is the gfci--I couldn't remember the name.

Err uh, can you translate that last part? What does "triac going bad" mean? What do I do about it? What is a "snubber" ?

Thanks!

This will help you out: http://www.highcountrylights.com/glossary/Glossary-1/

[De Trommelslager]

If youre mini refrigerator is plugged into the GFCI receptacle serving your LOR equipment (or any GFCI for that matter), get it onto another non-GFCI circuit. Hermetically sealed compressors have enough internal bleed current to cause nuisance tripping.

For insight on how a GFCI receptacle works, read post #25 on this thread.

The rain is likely your culprit for the tripping issues. The advise above is great, and here's some other information and some tips on getting on top on GFCI tripping issues.

Hopefully that will help you solve your problems.

[cmoore60]

Check your flood light fixtures for water in the fixture.

I agree sounds like your GFCI is tripping.

Chuck

[Max-Paul]

Ok, If all worked just fine and then you have a rain and your GFI trips. There are so many things that could be causing it. I agree, first determine if you can if it is one or the other controller. But if neither controller by its self will trip but when you connect both back together and it trips. Then there is this thing called collective leakage. I see you have a lot of LED strings, but what are they on? If you have say 8 mini trees built on say tomato cages. Then the wire could be capassively coupling some AC current to ground. And wire laying on a dry ground is ok, but wires laying on a wet ground will increase this current leakage to ground.
In the case of mini trees, people have found that if they push a short piece of PVC (say 1/2" X 9") and drill a hole and tie-wrap the tree to three pieces. Then they dont have any more GFI problems. Also keep all connections off of the ground. So you might need some more pvc stakes to tie the connections onto. GFIs can be a real pain in the ah socket. Thats right socket, thats it.