Dimmer keeps blowing

[liamruairi]

Any advice is much appreciated. I have a new light fitted, 10 x E27 40watt filament bulbs. Its this one: 10 Lights - Edison Chandelier Pendant Lamp Ceiling Light Bulbs Remote Control | eBay

I have now fitted 5 dimmer switches and not found one that works. Leading edge dimmers buzz really loud and trailing edge ones keep blowing. I bought a 400w varilight remote dimmer which worked lovely, then i turned it on once (full brighness) and it blew. I thought i needed an over-capacity dimmer so bought the same but 600w version (max light fixture watt is 400 - 10x 40w bulbs) and same thing happpened. Worked dimmed for few hours, turned off, then on again at full brightness and it blew. What am i doing wrong? Do i need an even bigger capacity like a 1000w dimmer?


thanks for advice!
liam

 

[Octopus]

1. Try a 1Kw dimmer a 400w is not big enough

2. How deep is the back box - if its 16mm or 25mm trying adding a "forward" spacer.

3. Fit an on/off switch

or

4. Change the light fitting

 

[simpson93]

600w dimmer maybe

 

[Octopus]

600w dimmer maybe

The OP says he's tried that

 

[R G]

I had similar problems on a chandelier once , in the end I used a 1000W in line dimmer above the ceiling that had plenty of ventilation and replaced the switch with retractive one , never had a problem after that ..

 

[telectrix]

the cold resistance of the lamps is a lot lower than when hot. use a rotary dimmer (as opposed to push) so that it's not possible to turn on full whack. lamps will last a lot longer as well. should manage with a 600w or 700w then.

 

[liamruairi]

the cold resistance of the lamps is a lot lower than when hot. use a rotary dimmer (as opposed to push) so that it's not possible to turn on full whack. lamps will last a lot longer as well. should manage with a 600w or 700w then.

Great advice thanks. Ill try a 1000w rotary simmer. Wher s a good supplier of a trailing edge ? Im in sheffield if anyone knows anywher thats not online?

many thanks

 

[telectrix]

most electrical wholesalers will stock them, how about screwfux?

 

[GMES]

I'm from Sheffield where abouts are you op and I will try and tell you the closest one.

 

[liamruairi]

I'm from Sheffield where abouts are you op and I will try and tell you the closest one.

Thanks, im in nether edge. Screwfix dont seem to stock them in their catalogue but the nearest one to me is queens road opposite b&q (who dont have 1000w either)

cheers

 

[telectrix]

try here:

Electrical Supplies in S6 | Reviews - Yell

 

[GMES]

Thanks, im in nether edge. Screwfix dont seem to stock them in their catalogue but the nearest one to me is queens road opposite b&q (who dont have 1000w either)

cheers

yes you're quite far out at nether edge, the closest Yess electrical is penistone road hillsborough, edmundson electrical at catley road attercliffe or electric center near Sheffield arena, but I would say out of the 3 yess electrical have a better range of decorative switches and lights on display in store.

 

[liamruairi]

Thanks ill give them a ring tomorrow

 

[GMES]

Unit 4
Hillsborough Trade Point
Rawson Spring Road
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S6 1PD 3.4 Miles from nether edge
T. 0844 324 8025
F. 0844 324 8026
E. [email protected]

Mon - Fri 7.00am - 17.30pm

Saturday 8.00am - 12.00pm

 

[liamruairi]

Thanks so much will call them tomorrow

 

[Geordie Spark]

This is what you want.

Falks 2707 Double Ceiling Propane Gas Indoor Light NEW | eBay

It dims beautifully.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Hang on a minute. The fitting the OP linked to says it includes a remote control, i.e. there is a receiver / control unit in the fitting that probably isn't designed to operate on a dimmer, unless the instructions say otherwise. I bet it contains a capacitive dropper to power its own electronics and that is what is causing the dimmers to buzz / fail rather than the lamps themselves. A larger dimmer might survive, but the control unit in the fitting might fail too.

E2A: if that is the problem, it could be bypassed, at the cost of invalidating the fitting's safety approval and warranty.

 

[liamruairi]

Hang on a minute. The fitting the OP linked to says it includes a remote control, i.e. there is a receiver / control unit in the fitting that probably isn't designed to operate on a dimmer, unless the instructions say otherwise. I bet it contains a capacitive dropper to power its own electronics and that is what is causing the dimmers to buzz / fail rather than the lamps themselves. A larger dimmer might survive, but the control unit in the fitting might fail too.

E2A: if that is the problem, it could be bypassed, at the cost of invalidating the fitting's safety approval and warranty.

Yes it does have a remote control but it just turns all lights on or off, or 5 of the lights on or off at a time. There isnt a dimmer button on the control. With all the dimmers ive tried except from the varilight the fitting (im guessing the reciever in the rose) buzzed so loudly. Any work around?

 

[ian.settle1]

Yes it does have a remote control but it just turns all lights on or off, or 5 of the lights on or off at a time. There isnt a dimmer button on the control. With all the dimmers ive tried except from the varilight the fitting (im guessing the reciever in the rose) buzzed so loudly. Any work around?

Sounds like it is not designed to be used on a dimmer switch as it needs a permanent live so you can use the remote control.

 

[liamruairi]

Sounds like it is not designed to be used on a dimmer switch as it needs a permanent live so you can use the remote control.

Can i remove the remote transmitter / receiver and just wire dirt to the transformer? I dont need the remote justw want it to dim!

 

[Octopus]

Can i remove the remote transmitter / receiver and just wire dirt to the transformer? I dont need the remote justw want it to dim!

Me thinks you need a different light fitting

 

[Lucien Nunes]

As per my post above, the remote receiver can probably be bypassed. Although you are not using it, the electronics are still in circuit and incompatible with the chopped waveform of a dimmed supply. What is this transformer you mention? Are they not 230V lamps?

 

[liamruairi]

Oh yeh they are sorry, see hee: 5th picture along for what the internal of the fitting looks like. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301446683473?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Lucien Nunes]

That's handy, a self-contained module. So it looks like all the lines are commoned in one crimp to a black lead, and the neutrals in two sets to the blue and white. So it would be the work of minutes to connect those leads to the corresponding incoming terminals and get rid of the module completely.

 

[liamruairi]

How do i do this then, any diagrams anywhere online? Is it as simple as joining black to black in a terminal block and the white and blue to red incoming? The seller just emailed me a pdf of how to remove receiver but its a large zip so will have to wait till later to unzip it and have a look. If i did connect them all straight to the mains with no reciever am i right i. Thinking i wouldnt need a transformer and a dimmer would work (should work!) fine?

 

[Geordie Spark]

How do i do this then, any diagrams anywhere online? Is it as simple as joining black to black in a terminal block and the white and blue to red incoming? The seller just emailed me a pdf of how to remove receiver but its a large zip so will have to wait till later to unzip it and have a look. If i did connect them all straight to the mains with no reciever am i right i. Thinking i wouldnt need a transformer and a dimmer would work (should work!) fine?

Unzip & read that PDF first THEN start asking questions - if you need to.
It's pointless jumping the gun!!

 

[liamruairi]

Ok so the 'pdf' was actuqlly a zip file with 35 pictures of the assembly process if the remote unit was to be removed. Attached here is one of the final pictures along with a picture of the reciever unit. Looks fairly straight forward, all lights are tethered to one of 2 brown/blue which would then tie in the feed in at the ceiling rose, correct? Then all I have to do is connect a normal dimmer switch at the wall and it should work?
http://tinypic.com/r/214wnxw/8
http://tinypic.com/r/1zybfno/8