Dimmer switch being weird

[Crosswire]

Ok a couple a months ago I wired a wine bar, and the main area lighting is controlled by a 450 watt dimmer with a load of about 300 watts of standard elv downlights. All well and good.

Just got a call from the client who says that when they dim the lights, they gradually increase in brightness and have to be re dimmed.

I have never come across this before and my immediate thought is dodgy dimmer switch. There are three lighting circuits like this and they all do this

Anyone come across this before?

 

[Deleted member 9648]

[QUOTE

Anyone come across this before?[/QUOTE]


Nope....but recently had some wall lights (tungsten lamps) which began to flicker after being on for about an hour. The dimmer was changed 3 times (same make) with no improvement until a different make was fitted and no more problems.....I'd swap at least one of the dimmers for a different make and see what happens.

 

[Johno]

I don't know if I am teaching you to suck eggs but some dimmers are not suitable to dim ELV (just a thought)

another thing maybe, I have been told to not add the wattage of the bulbs together but the transformer ratings

someone else told me when dimming halogen to always double the watts for dimmer

dimmers are a pain in the ****

 

[Crosswire]

I don't know if I am teaching you to suck eggs but some dimmers are not suitable to dim ELV (just a thought)

another thing maybe, I have been told to not add the wattage of the bulbs together but the transformer ratings

someone else told me when dimming halogen to always double the watts for dimmer

dimmers are a pain in the ****

No, fair comment. Thing is blinking customer INSISTED on using his own wholesaler which was totally pants.

Oh well, will have to get a proper , different make dimmmer, and do as you suggest


Such is life.

 

[mogga]

is the dimmer a normal run of the mill plastic round one??

IMO the sliddy ones for commercial pubs ect canny mind the name right now theyr around £150 ish

 

[Roger]

Lesson learnt never use 'Click' brand ,they are rubbish and will cause loads of faults.

As previous post use transformers as guide and calculate wattage using them.

Use intelligent dimmer modules for halogens and as a guide no more than five transformers per circuit.Try to stick with same brand throughout.

Also make sure tranformers are suitable for dimming.

Hope that helps and apologise if you already knew that lot.

 

[Crosswire]

is the dimmer a normal run of the mill plastic round one??

IMO the sliddy ones for commercial pubs ect canny mind the name right now theyr around £150 ish

Yeah bog standard rotary dimmer.

Can't imagine the look on clients face if I suggest the slider dimmer you require.

Oh wait, now I can

 

[Spudnik]

I think MK do a grid module slidey dimmer.

Not sure of the ratings though.

 

[mogga]

1000w dimmer might be an option then Lighting Superstore - HDS9S 1000w Satin Chrome - 1 gang, 2 way, 1000w satin chrome screwless f

or how about one of these Lutron Grafik Eye 3100 - The Light Bulb Shop – Buy light bulbs, halogen bulbs, GU10, Osram Dot IT, fluorescent tubes & energy saving you can get a remote control as well lol lol

 

[Crosswire]

Nice dimmers, but don't think client will bear the cost