I'm out of solutions looking for help.

I have an old low voltage lighting system. The lights that are on wont turn off and vice-versa.

Removed the plates on the lights that are on to make sure none are sticking.

Metered the transverter and read 29VDC. Had someone push a switch and it drop to around 3-4VDC. From what I read this is normal and shows that no switch is stuck.

I also disconnected the ground from each relay, one at a time, but did not resolve issue.

Could all the relays have gone bad at the same time? Also this has pilots lights, can that cause the system to stop?

 

If you mean transformer then the voltage should only drop a couple of volts. Either a bad transformer or short somewhere. I'd vote for a bad transformer because a short would likely be localized to one switch circuit.Where did you read that was normal?

 

It's definitely called a transverter, tried looking a transformer but unable to find any. Checked around all the panels, attic and garage.

Link below is a troubleshooting guide where I read the voltage dropping was normal. It is #5

http://touchplate.com/wp-content/upl...uck-Switch.pdf

 

Their calling it that in your link but I'm puzzled. Here is a Wikipedia definition: Continued at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transverter I can't figure out what that would have to do with a wired LV switching system. Is it wireless?

 

No, it's not wireless

Video from youtube. The unit being retrofitted is exactly like mine except alot more wires.

The guy calls it a transverter also. It is the grey box right under the panel.
https://youtu.be/_RVyNMESxB4

Only difference in the video is that when I press the switches I hear a buzz instead of a click. This happens with all the switches. From what I remember, when it was functioning properly, I hear it buzz instead of click.

This is the suggested relay replacement 2-Wire Relay - Replacement Parts - Touch-Plate Lighting Controls Touch-Plate Lighting Controls

I'm pretty sure that it's a transformer and they just wanted to call it transverter to distinguish themselves.

 

Perhaps another member will be able to help you. Hang in there. May be a while.

 

Thanks for the replies, gonna get a relay and wire that one up with a different power source.

Hope to get some switches functioning while trying to figure out the cause of this.

 

A transformer would just put out AC voltage. That puts out a DC voltage.
So it's not a transformer..... it's a power supply. BUT they've gone one step further and added a protection system to it so a dead short doesn't blow it out. Hence the name.

In your case.... it appears the "transverter" is bad.... or at least it's internal protection circuit is.

 

I'll order a transverter also and see how it turns out.

Curious though, if the internal protection circuit is bad/damage would that still allow it to output 28V?

Interested on how it works.

 

It has the ability to shed load. Could be a varistor, resistor or some other type of current limiter. It would appear that the load of the relay is too much for it.

You could probably use any 28vdc supply but if the switch got stuck or a wire shorted.... it would fail.

 

UPDATE

Lights working now, temporarily have 3 9v batteries powering the system.

As you said PJmax it is the transverter, thank you

 

If you're looking for a transverter, you might try http://transverters-store.com/

 

But those are real transverters not the electronically protected power supplies the O.P needs. From the site: Which is not what the O/P needs.