Other lamp technologies - choice of contactors

For LED lamps, see LEDs - choice of contactors.

Modular contactors and impulse relays do not use the same technologies. Their rating is determined according to different standards and does not correspond to the rated current of the circuit.

For example, for a given rating, an impulse relay is more efficient than a modular contactor for the control of light fittings with a strong inrush current, or with a low power factor (non-compensated inductive circuit).

Fig. N70a and N70b show the maximum number of light fittings for each relay, according to the type, power and configuration of a given lamp.

• These values are given for a 230 V circuit with 2 active conductors (single-phase phase/neutral or two-phase phase/phase). For 110 V circuits, divide the values in the table by 2.
• To obtain the equivalent values for the whole of a 230 V three-phase circuit, multiply the number of lamps and the total acceptable power:
  • by √3 (1.73) for circuits with 230 V between phases without neutral,
  • by 3 for circuits with 230 V between phase and neutral or 400 V between phases.
• The power ratings of the lamps most commonly used are shown in bold. For powers not mentioned, use a proportional rule with the nearest values.
• The total acceptable power values mentioned (such as "1550 W to 2000 W" for incandescent lamps - iCT 16A contactor) are provided as an indication only. The minimum value is for the smallest lamp power (1550 W, corresponding to 38 x 40W LED lamps), the maximum value for the highest lamp power.

Products			iCT contactors								iCT+ contactors
Type of lamp			Maximum number of light fittings for a single-phase circuit and maximum power output per circuit
			16 A		25 A		40 A		63 A		20 A
Basic incandescent lamps, LV halogen lamps, replacement mercury vapour lamps (without ballast)
	40 W		38	1550 W to 2000 W	57	2300 W to 2850 W	115	4600 W to 5250 W	172	6900 W to 7500 W	4660 W x cos φ
	60 W		30		45		85		125
	75 W		25		38		70		100
	100 W		19		28		50		73
ELV 12 or 24 V halogen lamps
Ferromagnetic transformer	20 W		15	300 W to 600 W	23	450 W to 900 W	42	850 W to 1950 W	63	1250 W to 2850 W	4660 W x Cos φ
	50 W		10		15		27		42
	75 W		8		12		23		35
	100 W		6		8		18		27
Electronic transformer	20 W		62	1250 W to 1600 W	90	1850 W to 2250 W	182	3650 W to 4200 W	275	5500 W to 6000 W
	50 W		25		39		76		114
	75 W		20		28		53		78
	100 W		16		22		42		60
Fluorescent tubes with starter and ferromagnetic ballast
1 tube without compensation	15 W		22	330 W to 850 W	30	450 W to 1200 W	70	1050 W to 2400 W	100	1500 W to 3850 W	4660 W x cos φ
	18 W		22		30		70		100
	20 W		22		30		70		100
	36 W		20		28		60		90
	40 W		20		28		60		90
	58 W		13		17		35		56
	65 W		13		17		35		56
	80 W		10		15		30		48
	115 W		7		10		20		32
1 tube with parallel compensation	15 W	5 µF	15	200 W to 800 W	20	300 W to 1200 W	40	600 W to 2400 W	60	900 W to 3500 W
	18 W	5 µF	15		20		40		60
	20 W	5 µF	15		20		40		60
	36 W	5 µF	15		20		40		60
	40 W	5 µF	15		20		40		60
	58 W	7 µF	10		15		30		43
	65 W	7 µF	10		15		30		43
	80 W	7 µF	10		15		30		43
	115 W	16 µF	5		7		14		20
2 or 4 tubes with series compensation	2 x 18 W		30	1100 W to 1500 W	46	1650 W to 2400 W	80	2900 W to 3800 W	123	4450 W to 5900 W
	4 x 18 W		16		24		44		68
	2 x 36 W		16		24		44		68
	2 x 58 W		10		16		27		42
	2 x 65 W		10		16		27		42
	2 x 80 W		9		13		22		34
	2 x 115 W		6		10		16		25
Fluorescent tubes with electronic ballast
1 or 2 tubes	18 W		74	1300 W to 1400 W	111	2000 W to 2200 W	222	4000 W to 4400 W	333	6000 W to 6600 W	4660 W x cos φ
	36 W		38		58		117		176
	58 W		25		37		74		111
	2 x 18 W		36		55		111		166
	2 x 36 W		20		30		60		90
	2 x 58 W		12		19		38		57
Compact fluorescent lamps
External electronic ballast	5 W		210	1050 W to 1300 W	330	1650 W to 2000 W	670	3350 W to 4000 W		Not tested	4660 W x cos φ
	7 W		150		222		478
	9 W		122		194		383
	11 W		104		163		327
	18 W		66		105		216
	26 W		50		76		153
Integral electronic ballast (replacement for incandescent lamps)	5 W		160	800 W to 900 W	230	1150 W to 1300 W	470	2350 W to 2600 W	710	3550 W to 3950 W
	7 W		114		164		335		514
	9 W		94		133		266		411
	11 W		78		109		222		340
	18 W		48		69		138		213
	26 W		34		50		100		151
Low-pressure sodium vapour lamps with ferromagnetic ballast with external ignitor
Without compensation	35 W		5	270 W to 360 W	9	320 W to 720 W	14	500 W to 1100 W	24	850 W to 1800 W	4660 W x cos φ
	55 W		5		9		14		24
	90 W		3		6		9		19
	135 W		2		4		6		10
	180 W		2		4		6		10
With parallel compensation	35 W	20 µF	3	100 W to 180 W	5	175 W to 360 W	10	350 W to 720 W	15	550 W to 1100 W
	55 W	20 µF	3		5		10		15
	90 W	26 µF	2		4		8		11
	135 W	40 µF	1		2		5		7
	180 W	45 µF	1		2		4		6
High-pressure sodium vapour lamps Metal-iodide lamps
Ferromagnetic ballast with external ignitor, without compensation	35 W		16	600 W	24	850 W to 1200 W	42	1450 W to 2000 W	64	2250 W to 3200 W	4660 W x cos φ
	70 W		8		12		20		32
	150 W		4		7		13		18
	250 W		2		4		8		11
	400 W		1		3		5		8
	1000 W		0		1		2		3
Ferromagnetic ballast and external ignitor, with parallel compensation	35 W	6 µF	12	450 W to 1000 W	18	650 W to 2000 W	31	1100 W to 4000 W	50	1750 W to 6000 W
	70 W	12 µF	6		9		16		25
	150 W	20 µF	4		6		10		15
	250 W	32 µF	3		4		7		10
	400 W	45 µF	2		3		5		7
	1000 W	60 µF	1		2		3		5
	2000 W	85 µF	0		1		2		3
Electronic ballast	35 W		24	850 W to 1350 W	38	1350 W to 2200 W	68	2400 W to 4000 W	102	3600 W to 6000 W
	70 W		18		29		51		76
	150 W		9		14		26		40

[a]  Circuits with non-compensated ferromagnetic ballasts consume twice as much current for a given lamp power output. This explains the small number of lamps in this configuration.
[b]  The total capacitance of the power factor correction capacitors in parallel in a circuit limits the number of lamps that can be controlled by a contactor. The total downstream capacitance of a modular contactor of rating 16, 25, 40 or 63 A should not exceed 75, 100, 200 or 300 μF respectively. Allow for these limits to calculate the maximum acceptable number of lamps if the capacitance values are different from those in the table.

Fig. N70a – Maximum number of light fittings for each relay, according to the type, power and configuration of a given lamp

Products			iTL impulse relays				iTL+ impulse relays	Reflex iC60 (C curve)
Type of lamp			Maximum number of light fittings for a single-phase circuit and maximum power output per circuit
			16 A		32 A		16 A	10 A		16 A		25 A		40 A		63 A
Basic incandescent lamps, LV halogen lamps, replacement mercury vapour lamps (without ballast)
	40W		40	1500W to 1600W	106	4000W to 4200W	3680W x cosφ	28	1120W to 2175W	46	1840W to 2600W	70	2800W to 3600W	140	5600W to 6800W	207	8280W to 9800W
	60W		25		66			23		36		55		103		152
	75W		20		53			29		31		46		80		121
	100W		16		42			15		23		33		60		88
ELV 12 or 24 V halogen lamps
Ferromagnetic transformer	20W		70	1350W to 1450W	180	3600W to 3750W	3680W x cosφ	11	220W to 500W	19	380W to 800W	27	540W to 1050W	50	1000W to 2200W	75	1500W to 3300W
	50W		28		74			8		12		19		33		51
	75W		19		50			7		10		14		27		43
	100W		14		37			5		8		10		22		33
Electronic transformer	20W		60	1200W to 1400W	160	3200W to 3350W		47	940W to 1200W	74	1480W to 2000W	108	2160W to 2600W	220	4400W to 5100W	333	6660W to 7300W
	50W		25		65			19		31		47		92		137
	75W		18		44			15		24		34		64		94
	100W		14		33			12		20		26		51		73
Fluorescent tubes with starter and ferromagnetic ballast
1 tube without compensation	15W		83	1250W to 1300W	213	3200W to 3350W	3680W x cosφ	16	244W to 647W	26	390W to 1035W	37	555W to 1520W	85	1275W to 2880W	121	1815W to 4640W
	18W		70		186			16		26		37		85		121
	20W		62		160			16		26		37		85		121
	36W		35		93			15		24		34		72		108
	40W		31		81			15		24		34		72		108
	58W		21		55			9		15		21		43		68
	65W		20		50			9		15		21		43		68
	80W		16		41			8		12		19		36		58
	115W		11		29			6		9		12		24		38
1 tube with parallel compensation	15W	5µF	60	900W	160	2400W		11	165W to 640W	19	285W to 960W	24	360W to 1520W	48	720W to 2880W	72	1080W to 4080W
	18W	5µF	50		133			11		19		24		48		72
	20W	5µF	45		120			11		19		24		48		72
	36W	5µF	25		66			11		19		24		48		72
	40W	5µF	22		60			11		19		24		48		72
	58W	7µF	16		42			8		12		19		36		51
	65W	7µF	13		37			8		12		19		36		51
	80W	7µF	11		30			8		12		19		36		51
	115W	16µF	7		20			4		7		9		17		24
2 or 4 tubes with series compensation	2 x 18W		56	2000W	148	5300W		23	828W to 1150W	36	1296W to 1840W	56	2016W to 2760W	96	3456W to 4600W	148	5328W to 7130W
	4 x 18W		28		74			12		20		29		52		82
	2 x 36W		28		74			12		20		29		52		82
	2 x 58W		17		45			8		12		20		33		51
	2 x 65W		15		40			8		12		20		33		51
	2 x 80W		12		33			7		11		1		26		41
	2 x 115W		8		23			5		8		12		20		31
Fluorescent tubes with electronic ballast
1 or 2 tubes	18W		80	1450W to 1550W	212	3800W to 4000W	3680W x cosφ	56	1008W to 1152W	90	1620W to 1798W	134	2412W to 2668W	268	4824W to 5336W	402	7236W to 8120W
	36W		40		106			28		46		70		142		213
	58W		26		69			19		31		45		90		134
	2 x 18W		40		106			27		44		67		134		201
	2 x 36W		20		53			16		24		37		72		108
	2 x 58W		13		34			9		15		23		46		70
Compact fluorescent lamps
External electronic ballast	5W		240	1200W to 1450W	630	3150W to 3800W	3680W x cosφ	158	790W to 962W	251	1255W to 1560W	399	1995W to 2392W	810	4050W to 4706W	Infrequently used
	7W		171		457			113		181		268		578
	9W		138		366			92		147		234		463
	11W		118		318			79		125		196		396
	18W		77		202			49		80		127		261
	26W		55		146			37		60		92		181
Integral electronic ballast (replacement for incandescent lamps)	5W		170	850W to 1050W	390	1950W to 2400W		121	605W to 650W	193	959W to 1044W	278	1390W to 1560W	568	2840W to 3146W	859	4295W to 4732W
	7W		121		285			85		137		198		405		621
	9W		100		233			71		113		160		322		497
	11W		86		200			59		94		132		268		411
	18W		55		127			36		58		83		167		257
	26W		40		92			25		40		60		121		182
Low-pressure sodium vapour lamps with ferromagnetic ballast with external ignitor
Without compensation	35W		Not tested, infrequently used				3680W x cosφ	4	153W to 253W	7	245W to 405W	11	385W to 792W	17	595W to 1198W	29	1015W to 2070W
	55W							4		7		11		17		29
	90W							3		4		8		11		23
	135W							2		3		5		8		12
	180W							1		2		4		7		10
With parallel compensation	35W	20µF	38	1350W	102	3600W		3	88W to 169W	4	140W to 270W	7	245W to 450W	12	420W to 720W	19	665W to 1440W
	55W	20µF	24		63			3		4		7		12		19
	90W	26µF	15		40			2		3		5		8		13
	135W	40µF	10		26			1		2		3		5		9
	180W	45µF	7		18			0		1		2		4		8
High-pressure sodium vapour lamps Metal-iodide lamps
Ferromagnetic ballast with external ignitor, without compensation	35W		Not tested, infrequently used				3680W x cosφ	12	416W to 481W	19	400W to 750W	28	980W to 1350W	50	1750W to 2500W	77	2695W to 4000W
	70W							7		11		15		24		38
	150W							3		5		9		15		22
	250W							2		3		5		10		13
	400W							0		1		3		6		10
	1000W							0		0		1		2		3
Ferromagnetic ballast and external ignitor, with parallel compensation	6µF	34	1200W to 1350W	88	3100W to 3400W	14		490W to 800W	17	595W to 1200W	26	910W to 2200W	43	1505W to 4400W	70	2450W to 7000W
	70W	12µF		17		45			8		9		13		23		35
	150W	20µF		8		22			5		6		9		14		21
	250W	32µF		5		13			3		4		5		10		14
	400W	45µF		3		8			2		3		4		7		9
	1000W	60µF		1		3			0		1		2		4		7
	2000W	85µF		0		1			0		0		1		2		3
Electronic ballast	35W		38	1350W to 2200W	87	3100W to 5000W		15	525W to 844W	24	840W to 1350W	38	1330W to 2100W	82	2870W to 4650W	123	4305W to 7200W
	70W		29		77			11		18		29		61		92
	150W		14		33			6		9		14		31		48

[a]  Circuits with non-compensated ferromagnetic ballasts consume twice as much current for a given lamp power output. This explains the small number of lamps in this configuration.
[b]  The total capacitance of the power factor correction capacitors in parallel in a circuit limits the number of lamps that can be controlled by a contactor. The total downstream capacitance of a modular contactor of rating 16, 25, 40 or 63 A should not exceed 75, 100, 200 or 300 μF respectively. Allow for these limits to calculate the maximum acceptable number of lamps if the capacitance values are different from those in the table.
Reflex iC60 - High-pressure sodium vapour lamp with electronic ballast: For the 10 A and 16 A B-curve ratings, the number of lamps should be reduced by 10 % to limit unwanted magnetic tripping.

Fig. N70b – Maximum number of light fittings for each relay, according to the type, power and configuration of a given lamp