Bathroom dimmer for LEDs

[SJD]

I need to provide as dimmer for bathroom lights, which are dimmable LED downlights, total load 40W.

The existing switch is a pullcord by the door, I originally had thought of using a pullcord dimmer, but the only ones I can find (a) need a min load of 50W, and (b) state that full brightness is only approx 80% (of undimmed) brightness. As far as I can tell, the various places that sell these all sell essentially the same model.

I could perhaps get round only having a 40W load by wasting another 10W in something hidden out of sight, though I don't really like to do that. The reduced brightness is probably going to still be an issue though.

Apart from trying to persuade the customer to have a conventional dimmer on the wall outside the bathroom, any ideas?

 

[telectrix]

is it a stud wall? if so you can probably fish down to a wall switch without decoration damage.

 

[SJD]

It's not a stud wall, it's an old cottage with solid walls. If I have to, I'll cut a channel to get down to a wall switch, and make good afterwards.

 

[telectrix]

best way, IMO. or you could fit a wireless dimmer switch at ceiling height and customer could use remote control to dim from inside bathroom.

 

[SJD]

I'll suggest the wireless dimmer & remote as one option, for some reason I'd not thought of that. Customer would just have to watch they don't drop the remote in the bathwater!

 

[Redvanman]

Check out wisebox, mr resistor site, you can get a wireless dimmer with the switch screwed directly to the wall no back box needed. Ok for bathrooms as it runs of a battery or it can go outside.

 

[Marvo]

If you can find a non-latching type pullswitch you could use any 4-wire tactile dimmer and put it above the ceiling.

 

[grantr37]

theres special touch sensetive dimmers for bathrooms that are one piece sealed and you slide your finger up towards the plus symbol or down towards the minus symbol that are printed onto it...they are quite expensive I think they are about 100 pounds each......there are also ones that are concealed into a mirror with the plus and minus symbols and a line between them engraved onto the glass....these are about 400 pounds for one mirror though which is just a plain rectangle of glass, similar to the heated mirrors, I think there's combination heated and lighting control ones available...

the place to look for these is City Electrical factors wholesalers as they tend to have things like that on display whenever I go in for a look around...

 

[ash_s3]

I used a pullcord dimmer, once extract fan was connected it worked fine