Dimmer Switch Dilemma!!

[BC-Electrical]

Afternoon, this is my first post on the forum as im new to the site and to the industry so bare with me if this warrants a blatently obvious answer!!

He has 6 downlights which are running off of a dimmer switch, the dimmer switch recently gave way when he went to switch on the light which tripped the MCB in the C.U., he then changed the dimmer switch and the same thing happened again blowing the internals of the switch.

I know this could be down to it not being the correct rating or it being affected by the 50% correction, however i have no information on what type of bulbs hes using, whether or not they are ELV and running off a transformer and what the total required load is, and i wont know this info until i get round there this evening.

My question is i may have time to pick up a new dimmer switch from screwfix on route, shall i just go for a 1000W rated component and over compensate or will this effect the way the lights operate i.e. too dark or too bright, will it start blowing bulbs for no reason!!

If not this any other suggestions



Cheers

 

[Adam W]

Don't bulbs go in the garden? Haha

nah you're thinking of lamps.

 

[BC-Electrical]

So you are going round posing as an electrician without a MFT?? Not ideal is it?

If you actually read my original post 'properly' you will find that it quite clearly states that i am new to this forum and to the industry which would clearly indicate that im newly qualified. So to answer your statement, firstly no i am not going round posing as an electrician i am a trainee at best and not pretending to be anything other than that, secondly no it isnt ideal not having and MFT but unless you have 800-1000 spare you can lend me to buy one i wont be getting one right this very second!! Unless you have something productive or at all useful to say keep it to yourself please i am just looking for some advice like everyone else!!


Now....onto the matter in hand, i decided to go for the 400W MK item which is compatible with ELV transformers and low energy lighting providing its mated with halogen bulbs, there is no correction factor to take into account and even if there was i replaced all 6 bulbs with 35W halogen GU10's taking the overall load to a maximum of 210W. They actually came out surprisingly bright aswell and have a 2000 hour shelf life so should keep my mate happy for a while!!


Thanks again for all the comments, came in very handy in the end!!

 

[PEG]

Oh dear,you may just have woke the pride up,waving that bacon about......