|
|
|
|
| Author |
|
|
Information Junky
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
Posts: 73,189
|
Damn Dim Dimmers. WTH?
I recently replaced a couple dimmer switches with some dimmer switches with motion sensors . . . and now they don't go to full brightness. ...not even close. ...maybe 80% of full. I've tried two different brands; both are dim. Jumpering the circuit really shows what's being lost in the switch.
Maybe it's just me, but at $40 each, shouldn't they be a bit better than that? Suggestions?
__________________
Everyone you meet knows something you don't. - - - and a whole bunch of crap that is wrong. Disclaimer: the above was 2¢ worth. More information is available as my professional opinion, which is provided for an exorbitant fee. 
|
||
01-04-2011, 08:12 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 17,404
|
What are trying to dim down, low voltage lights?
|
||
|
01-04-2011, 08:48 PM
|
|
|
Information Junky
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
Posts: 73,189
|
120 Volt lights. The new dimmers are rated @ 600 watts, and the load is ~ 400 watts
some of the down lights are 120 to 12 Volt transformers. The thing is, the previous (simple/Old) dimmer switches worked fine. (full brightness)
__________________
Everyone you meet knows something you don't. - - - and a whole bunch of crap that is wrong. Disclaimer: the above was 2¢ worth. More information is available as my professional opinion, which is provided for an exorbitant fee.
|
||
|
01-04-2011, 09:17 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 17,404
|
You need a low voltage dimmer. check if your lights are mag. or elec. transformer and buy the dimmer(s) accordingly. Stay sway from those cheap (low voltage) dimmers at home depot. Buy them from an electrical supply house. Most people carry Lutron. They are good switches.
Check your bulbs. How old are they? Ushio or GE make a great MR16 bulb. The cheap Chinese stuff at your home centers does not have color consistency. They go dim after some time, no matter what switch you have. They run about 7-9 bucks a piece. |
||
|
01-04-2011, 11:06 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 17,404
|
I just re-read your post. Are both the 120V and the 12V lights mixed and are control by one switch?
|
||
|
01-04-2011, 11:09 PM
|
|
|
B58/732
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Hot as Hell, AZ
Posts: 12,313
|
I'd guess that since motion is in Montana, they're not sensing him and thus not getting turned on.
__________________
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ I don't always talk to vegetarians--but when I do, it's with a mouthful of bacon. |
||
|
01-05-2011, 08:35 AM
|
|
|
|
Information Junky
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
Posts: 73,189
|
Not full -up- anyway...
seriously tho', I suspect that the newer dimmers are trying to be More "green" and cutting/ limiting power to the lights. (?)
__________________
Everyone you meet knows something you don't. - - - and a whole bunch of crap that is wrong. Disclaimer: the above was 2¢ worth. More information is available as my professional opinion, which is provided for an exorbitant fee.
|
||
|
01-05-2011, 08:45 AM
|
|
