It has stalled out. Have the parts for most everything, have some drawings to drop off at the metal cutting place, but time has been at a premium lately...
From what I can unedrstand this is a walkup circuit to minimized in rush. It seems overly complex. Was there any thought to using a phase angle controller like the TDA1185? This chip can be configured as a softstart circuit. It drives a triac. One app I use it for it to softstart the driveway light. The bulb is difficult to change. By using the TD1185 and a triac the light bulb lasts much longer as it doesn't see the sudden turn on.
I've built other types over the years. With todays snubberless triacs they're a breeze to use.
I know little of soft start circuits Don. But I do like the use of HUGE S'S relays where I am flipping the switch on 2 800 VA toroid and 140,000uf of capacitance.
From what I can unedrstand this is a walkup circuit to minimized in rush. It seems overly complex. Was there any thought to using a phase angle controller like the TDA1185? This chip can be configured as a softstart circuit. It drives a triac. One app I use it for it to softstart the driveway light. The bulb is difficult to change. By using the TD1185 and a triac the light bulb lasts much longer as it doesn't see the sudden turn on.
I've built other types over the years. With todays snubberless triacs they're a breeze to use.
This circuit is suitable for less critical inrush current limiting applications and will be suitable for your driveway lights, if the normally open relay contacts are connected in parallel with a surge rated wire wound power resistor of the appropriate resistance value, in series with driveway lights.
A thermal cutout is required for the wire wound resistor in this application.