Overview 

This article is provided for use with FAA type L-828 and L-829 Constant Current Regulator as covered by FAA AC-150/5345-10H and manufactured by Airport Lighting Company, Manlius, NY, USA. It is for use with Ferroresonant Constant Current Regulators; FR Type.

The Ferroresonant Constant Current Regulator (CCR) is designed to convert grid, single phase, AC power to constant-current series loop power. For FAA installations, the input is typically 208, 220, 240 or 480 Volts AC, 60Hz. The output is digitally controlled to maintain a constant current. The ferroresonant regulator design produces a sine wave current output. It does this by using a ferroresonant transformer, capacitor bank and a solid-state relay (SSR) to control the output current. The ferroresonant transformer drives the output power of the CCR. When the SSR is open the capacitor bank will inject power into the circuit. If the SSR is closed or shorted, power is diverted from the circuit. The ferroresonant transformer and capacitor bank, along with the digitally-controlled SSR, produce the expected output current with an AC sinusoidal waveform.

The AC Input connects to the contactor and control transformer in parallel. The control transformer has both 120VAC and 15VAC outputs. The 15V output is used to power the Digital Control & Monitoring Unit (DCMU) and the Firing Card. The DCMU is the electronic logic center of the system. It communicates with the firing card and display. The 120V is used to power the contactor coil and may be used to power the remote control. The firing card receives measurements from the ferroresonant transformer, current transformer (CT) on the output winding, and CT on the input wiring if equipped. The firing card turns the contactor on and off, when the system is engaged or disengaged. The firing card also signals the SSR to close for some duration on every AC-power half-cycle to control the output of the ferroresonant transformer. The capacitor bank in combination with the ferroresonant transformer produces the sinusoidal constant current output.

Equipment Description

The equipment is a Ferroresonant Constant Current Regulator with the following specifications:
- Type L-828: Regulator without monitoring
- Type L-829: Regulator with monitoring
- Class 1: 6.6 amperes (A) output current
- Class 2: 20.0 A output current
- Style 1: three brightness steps
- Style 2: five brightness steps

Standard Ratings (FAA)

- Standard sizes (kW out), Class 1 (6.6 amps): 1, 2, 4, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30
- Standard sizes (kW out), Class 2 (20 amps): 15, 20, 25, 30
- Standard input voltages: 208, 220, 240, 480
- Frequency: 60 Hz

Environmental Requirements

- NEMA 1 rated. Indoor installation required.
- All models cooled by free convection.
- Operating temperature: -40°C to +55°C
- Operating relative humidity: 10% to 95%
- Operational altitude: 0 to 2,000 m above sea level
- Floor mountable
- Meets FAA Class A Conducted and Emitted Radiation requirements
- The FR CCR design has been proven in altitudes in excess of 2,000 m and will operate in altitudes up to 3,000 m.

Electrical Requirements

All units are built and calibrated to the input voltage listed on the nameplate. If the input voltage does not match the nameplate input voltage, contact Airport Lighting Company for further instructions.

Control Capabilities

The regulator can be controlled by various means: the front panel keypad/display, remote-control connection to internal CCR terminal blocks with 24VDC, 48VDC, or 120VAC power, Ethernet/CAT5 via configured PLC on ModTCP or Ethernet/IP, RS485 ModbusRTU via configured PLC, or RS232 serial connection to computer. Ethernet and RS485 features require additional hardware. The front panel display is the primary method of entering the CCR settings and operating the CCR in Local mode. Local mode operation allows the user to control the CCR with the press of a button, independent of calls from a remote system. This can be used for setup, diagnosis of airfield circuit problems, or troubleshooting. Remote control is available through the DIN rail mounted terminal block connections inside the regulator. The remote-control connection will utilize wire connections that include B1 through B5 or B10 through B100. The Airport Lighting Company CCR provides multiple field-changeable control supply voltage solutions. The remote-control inputs for the CCR can be powered internally by the regulator or externally as part of the remote system. Ethernet connectivity requires a Communications Card to be installed in the Digital Control & Monitoring Unit (DCMU) upon ordering the CCR. Ethernet can be used to communicate with configured PLCs via Ethernet/IP interface or ModTCP (Modbus TCP). RS485 serial connectivity requires a Communications Card to be installed on the Digital Control & Monitoring Unit upon ordering the CCR. The RS485 connection allows for communication using ModbusRTU.

Manufacturer Information

- Manufactured by: Airport Lighting Company
- Address: 108 Fairgrounds Drive, Manlius, New York 13104
- Phone: (315) 682-6460
- Email: info@airportlightingcompany.com
- Website: www.airportlightingcompany.com
- ETL Certified to: FAA AC 150/5345-10H
- An ISO 9001:2015 Certified Company

Airport Lighting Company | Type L-828, Type L-829 Ferroresonant Constant Current Regulator