Light dimmer ratings

[Ian L Cameron]

I have 7 x 100W incandescent bulbs I want to control by a dimmer. The
highest rating I could find at Bunnings was 500VA (or 500W total
incandescent).

Do dimmer controls come in higher ratings?

Thanks for your help,

Ian.

 

[Mike Harding]

On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 21:13:38 GMT, "Ian L Cameron"
<icameron@winshop.com.RemoveTheObvious.au> wrote:

I have 7 x 100W incandescent bulbs I want to control by a dimmer. The
highest rating I could find at Bunnings was 500VA (or 500W total
incandescent).

Do dimmer controls come in higher ratings?

They do but you're probably moving towards the
professional lighting market - try a specialised
lighting shop they may have access to a wider
range of products. Or maybe two 500W units?

I wonder what would happen if you find your 700W
unit and connect 7 100W lamps to it then switch the
dimmer on when it's set to full power? Each lamp
will have a high current inrush because it's filament
is cold and I suspect 7 * 100W inrush is a lot more
than 1 * 700W inrush - will it blow the triac? Only one
way to find out...

Mike Harding

PS. Of course you must get a licensed, registered
electrician to fit it for you because it all very
dangerous and only electricians understand how
to do it safely. People like me with 25+ years on
everything from 22KV to diesel generators to street
lighting to EPLDs don't have a clue.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Mike Harding" <mike_harding1@nixspamhotmail.com>

I wonder what would happen if you find your 700W
unit and connect 7 100W lamps to it then switch the
dimmer on when it's set to full power? Each lamp
will have a high current inrush because it's filament
is cold and I suspect 7 * 100W inrush is a lot more
than 1 * 700W inrush - will it blow the triac? Only one
way to find out...

** How dopey Mr Harding.

The ratio of cold to hot resistance is the virtually same for any lamp
that uses a tungsten filament. The time it takes to heat a filament to full
brightness depends however on its size - the larger the longer. A 700 watt
lamp has a filament with much greater thermal capacity and hence inertia
than a 100 watt one. 7 by 100 watt lamps will draw 7 times the current of
one but the current surge at start up lasts only the same time as for one.

Triacs have limited capacity to handle over current surges, typically
about 10 times I average rating for one cycle. A load that consists of many
small lamps will not likely exceed that rating ( I squared t) but a single
big one will.

Mike Harding

PS. Of course you must get a licensed, registered
electrician to fit it for you because it all very
dangerous and only electricians understand how
to do it safely. People like me with 25+ years on
everything from 22KV to diesel generators to street
lighting to EPLDs don't have a clue.

** Experience is only relevant to particular things - knowledge of
one area of technology gives one no expertise in another.

As your constant stream of erroneous drivel here proves.





.............. Phil

 

[Mainlander]

In article <6aIdb.127942$bo1.48984@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
icameron@winshop.com.RemoveTheObvious.au says...

I have 7 x 100W incandescent bulbs I want to control by a dimmer. The
highest rating I could find at Bunnings was 500VA (or 500W total
incandescent).

Do dimmer controls come in higher ratings?

HPM make some bigger ones but they are probably not carried in your usual
electrical retailers.

 

[Mike Harding]

On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 09:06:44 +1000, "Phil Allison"
<philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

PS. Of course you must get a licensed, registered
electrician to fit it for you because it all very
dangerous and only electricians understand how
to do it safely. People like me with 25+ years on
everything from 22KV to diesel generators to street
lighting to EPLDs don't have a clue.

** Experience is only relevant to particular things - knowledge of
one area of technology gives one no expertise in another.

Words of wisdom indeed Phil.

Thank you for that valuable contribution - I doubt any of
us would have understood that knowledge of something
does not give you knowledge of something else had you
not pointed it out.

Mike Harding

 

[Phil Allison]

"Mike Harding" <mike_harding1@nixspamhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:hosenvcbkhuo8ujkihvudif5v3nk34grvh@4ax.com...

On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 09:06:44 +1000, "Phil Allison"
philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

PS. Of course you must get a licensed, registered
electrician to fit it for you because it all very
dangerous and only electricians understand how
to do it safely. People like me with 25+ years on
everything from 22KV to diesel generators to street
lighting to EPLDs don't have a clue.

** Experience is only relevant to particular things - knowledge of
one area of technology gives one no expertise in another.

Words of wisdom indeed Phil.

** Wasted pearls on an autistic swine like you.

Thank you for that valuable contribution - I doubt any of
us would have understood that knowledge of something
does not give you knowledge of something else had you
not pointed it out.

** So you MISSED my barb at YOU completely !!!!


LOL.



............. Phil

 

[Angelo Sartore]

Try any of the electrical wholesalers like Middendorp or Lawrence & Hanson.
I think HPM or Clipsal have a 1500W dimmer on a large plate.

Angelo Sartore

Melbourne
AUSTRALIA

ADOPT, ADAPT, INVENT, DESTROY !
"Ian L Cameron" <icameron@winshop.com.RemoveTheObvious.au> wrote in message
news:6aIdb.127942$bo1.48984@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

I have 7 x 100W incandescent bulbs I want to control by a dimmer. The
highest rating I could find at Bunnings was 500VA (or 500W total
incandescent).

Do dimmer controls come in higher ratings?

Thanks for your help,

Ian.

 

[Ian L Cameron]

Thanks, found the required part at www.hpm.com.au .

Ian.

"Ian L Cameron" <icameron@winshop.com.RemoveTheObvious.au> wrote in message
news:6aIdb.127942$bo1.48984@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

I have 7 x 100W incandescent bulbs I want to control by a dimmer. The
highest rating I could find at Bunnings was 500VA (or 500W total
incandescent).

Do dimmer controls come in higher ratings?

Thanks for your help,

Ian.