weird one.......

[ExArmy]

in my drying room i have 2 batten holders with CFL's in them, and a 4" extractor fan controlled by a built in humidistat.
i went to turn the lights off as i left before and a weird thing happened, i had some keys in my hand and as i tried to turn the light switch i only got it halfway as my hands were full and i couldn't press it in all the way, the lights were flickering when the switch was at halfway, and as the lights were flickering the fan fired up!
then i tried to replicate it, everytime i hold the light switch halfaway, the lights flicker and the fan turns on.

so whats the science here? i'm thinking it wouldn't do the same if they were incandescent lamps. sometihng to do with capacitance/inductance and induced voltage??

if the fan isolator is switched off : nothing hapens as the lights are flickering
if one of the CFL bulb is removed: the fan barely moves as the lighs are flickering
if both bulbs are removed: nothing happens

 

[ExArmy]

My house is a drying room, socks and ids clothes on every radiator, typical British summer.

I hope you beat Jeeves daily to keep him in check? Is your house maid a ripe young filly?

can't afford jeeves at the minute, never mind a house maid. apparently you can't earn 50k a year as an electrician, contrary to what T4TS tell you!

 

[Strima]

apparently you can't earn 50k a year as an electrician, contrary to what T4TS tell you!

It's a lie, T4TS would never make anything like that up, it must be true...

Shame too many people fall for it, I was under no illusion about pay, just happened to get into the job as the recession really starts to bite. My timing sucks.

 

[sedgy34]

Inductance is causing the problem through the lamps, to solve problem don't stand there with hands full pushing switch only half way lol

 

[i=p/u]

Its just the start of the action normal taking in turning on the switch..

 

[telectrix]

shouldn't really be turning things on half way. usually gets me a slap and meals are slopped up for a week.

 

[Rockingit]

shouldn't really be turning things on half way. usually gets me a slap and meals are slopped up for a week.

but if only everything came with an on/off switch.

 

[telectrix]

if carlsberg made women, they would.