[Lowfer] GFCI trips when transmitting on 2200M

[pbunn]

Dex, 

The newer GFIs are better but I'd not replace the breaker, I'd try to fix the problem. The GFI works by looking at the sum of the "black wire current, and the "white wire current" - Since they are in opposite directions the sum should always be zero unless there is a leakage that returns via some other ground.  Any error current over a mA or so will trip the breaker.

The "white wire" or grounded conductor as defined by the NEC should never be tied to ground at any point except the service panels bond (a single point ground)

Cheap Christmas lights are notorious for having problems and an isolation problem might do the trick. The driver circuit may be the culprit. I have some electronic ballasts in my garage lights that cause problems with my shop GFI.

Pat
N4LTA

-----Original Message-----
From: lowfer-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:lowfer-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dexter McIntyre W4DEX
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2012 9:53 AM
To: Discussion of the Lowfer (US, European, & UK) and MedFer bands
Subject: [Lowfer] GFCI trips when transmitting on 2200M

My AC power meter and primary AC panel box is located less than ten feet from my LF coil and vertical wire.  I've never had a problem with the ground fault breakers in that box tripping when transmitting on 137 kHz.  That is until I placed some Christmas lights a bit over one hundred feet from the other end of the house from where the panel box is located.  The lights are powered with 125 feet of cable laying on the ground.  The RF return current this cable is carrying measures just a few milliamps, apparently just enough to occasionally trip the breaker.  
Attaching multiple clamp on chokes around the cable made on difference.  
The GFCI was installed 25 years ago.  I just read that newer ones are much better at preventing false tripping due to RF.  I could just replace the breaker but being a tight wad I had rather find a cure for this temporary problem rather than to replace a working breaker. 

Any thoughts about what to try next?

Dex

Hummm......I may try an isolation transformer.  The lights are LED and operate at only 16 watts for 250 C9 size bulbs.
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