James asks this question about the voltage drop on LED lighting installations. It has been answered by the ECA (Theme – Lighting):
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Question: In the past we’ve calculated the load of a fluorescent lighting installation by a factor of 1.8 for voltage drop calculations.
What should we allow in the future for LED lighting installations, bearing in mind their switch mode power supplies and their high earth leakage currents.
Answer: On fluorescent lighting systems there are two factors used, one for simultaneous loading of the circuit (1.8) and one to protect the light switch when breaking the inductive surge (2.0).
For LED lighting circuits, it is rather more complex and the manufacturer's guidance should be obtained, as the circuitry within the fittings can vary. The same applies to the leakage current issue.
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