To decide which controller is best suited for the application there are a couple factors to consider.
- What is the total amperage of the circuit?
- What is the maximum inrush current of the circuit?
First, we define "load" as the type of equipment connected to the electrical circuit. Common load types may be: Low wattage (<100 Watts) LED lights, High wattage (> 100 Watts) LED lights, motors, pumps, heaters, etc.
"Inrush current" is the quick burst of energy required to power-up a device. Even if the load itself falls within the 5A or 20A continuous current limit, the inrush current amount may exceed the limit for a particular controller and may cause damage. For example, the E9X-RUV-4IBTP controller can support 20A of continuous load yet it has a 160A inrush current limitation. Some LED fixtures require a surge of up to 50A each for a brief pulse when they first turn on. If you had 4 fixtures, that inrush current surge might exceed 200A which would damage the controller.
Here is a table showing the current carrying capacity of our standard products:
| Continuous current limit | Inrush current limit | |
| 5A On/Off Controller | 5A | 70A |
| 20A On/Off Controller | 20A | 160A |
| 5A 0-10V Dimming Controller | 5A | 70A |
| 20A 0-10V Dimming Controller | 20A | 160A |
We recommend confirming the inrush current for the fixtures you are using to make sure they are below the specification. If the current is too high, or you can't confirm we recommend using a contactor or power pack to switch the load and connect the controller output to the contactor coil so that an inrush current that exceeds the specification doesn't pass through the controller.
Some additional resources that may be helpful in evaluating which controller is right for your situation: