Buzzing on G4 lights

[TaffyDuck]

Hi guys
A bit of advice on a problem I am having.

Old story of customer buying fancy trick lights from Next coupled with an intelligent dimmer switch.

The problem I am having is that at any point in the dimmer cycle I am getting a buzzing sound from the lights. Both lights buzz but at slightly different frequencies. This is the second dimmer next has supplied as the 1st one endlessly cycled between bright and dim. The dimmer is an electronic intelligent one supplied with the lights. I have checked all the connections within the fittings and they are securely fixed to the ceiling. I have changed the dimmer to a normal one and this has little or no effect although the frequency of the buzzing is altered a bit.

The customer seems to think that I am a magician but I`ve run out of ideas so any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Farmelectrics]

sack the dimmer

 

[BlueToBits]

If the spots have internal transformers or chokes, the buzzing could to be due to the back emf generated in laminations in the transformer core by the trailing edge dimmer. Not a lot you can do, other than try different transformers until you find a quiet pair.

 

[Richard Burns]

You need to match the transformer with the dimmer.
I assume the intelligent dimmer is trailing edge and the standard dimmer is leading edge but what does the transformer need?
Normally trailing edge dimmers should be quiet, however you are getting the hum from the transformers in the lights.
Make sure you have a dimmer suitable for the load.
Possibly take the transformer in the lights and if you can mount it on rubber so that it does not use the fitting as a sounding board, might help a bit.
Alternatively replace the fitting transformer with a decent one that does not buzz.

 

[TaffyDuck]

Thanks guys.
As an update replacing the dimmer with a standard switch solves the problem. The load is 200w and the trailing edge intelligent dimmer is rated upto 400w and is the one supplied with the lights. There is no humming from the dimmer just the lights. The dimmer, when on full doesnt make the lights buzz but the moment you dim, even slightly, the noise starts

 

[telectrix]

a case of bad design on the manufacturer's part. always they go for pretty looks that will sell the product, rather than make a well designed product. you've only fot to look at some of these fancy lights that will not take 3 cables on a loop in circuit, supply a connector block that's about right for telecom wires, and that's not counting the crap that has 500 baubles hanging off it, each one securely wrapped in pop film with 200ft of sellotape to cut, and fixing screws that won't accept any known type of screwdriver.