Fluorescent lamps flickering after installing new dimmer switch.

[roscomcl]

As the title says today I replaced a simple 1 way 2 gang switch with a a 1 way 2 gang dimmer switch.

The first switch controls 2 ceiling lights with gu10 fittings which dim fine.

The second switch controls under cupboard lights which are fluorescent lamps, they originally come on and work fine, dimmable to an extent.

After working for a period of time, maybe half an hour, they will flicker extensively like in the attached video then will not work until turned off and given time before turning back on.

There is also an LED undercupboard light in the same circuit as the fluorescents which stops working after they flicker and turn off.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Vortigern]

You can't usually dim fluorescent lights. And as for the LED depends if it is dimmable. But given you have three type of lighting with a dimmer there is I would say, no chance it will work for all those type of light simultaneously.

 

[123]

You need to change the 2nd dimmer module to one which is just an on/off (no dimming) type. Like this module: Click MD9001

 

[Pete999]

Are the fittings you have installed of the dimmable type.

 

[EricMark]

I know you can dim fluorescent lights, most lecture halls have them, but they are not standard fluorescent lights, they are specials.

You can dim quartz lights, but you should not dim them as it reduces their life.

You can dim LED lights unless stated not dim-able. But with LED even when designed to dim, there are two very different types, some will pass a small current to work neutral free dimming switches, others will only work with dimming switches which use a neutral, and also you have leading and lagging controls.

With the old tungsten lamp when dimmed they also changed colour giving an ambiance, but with LED the colour stays the same, so the method used in hot countries works out better, split lights 1/3 and 2/3 so you have three levels of lighting with two switches, places like Turkey have used this for years, as did not want to get room too warm, so they moved to fluorescent lighting well before us.

In the UK the tungsten light saved energy, as it resulted in extra heat at night than the day, and so the room thermostat could be set at a lower level, and the inferred heat is not lost through walls as much as heating the air, so until forced by government we used tungsten lights. Unfortunately government advisers looked at power used by bulbs in isolation, not as part of the total energy used by the home.

Same with vented tumble driers, they forget it is using damp pre-heated air from within the home, so air that replaces it needs heating, and it can cause a pressure drop in the home and draw in flue gases into the home. They test in a unheated lab conditions not in a home.

I ripped out all of my dimmer switches years ago, they were an 80's fad, now long gone for most, but some still hang onto old ideas.

 

[DPG]

I know you can dim fluorescent lights, most lecture halls have them, but they are not standard fluorescent lights, they are specials.

You can dim quartz lights, but you should not dim them as it reduces their life.

You can dim LED lights unless stated not dim-able. But with LED even when designed to dim, there are two very different types, some will pass a small current to work neutral free dimming switches, others will only work with dimming switches which use a neutral, and also you have leading and lagging controls.

With the old tungsten lamp when dimmed they also changed colour giving an ambiance, but with LED the colour stays the same, so the method used in hot countries works out better, split lights 1/3 and 2/3 so you have three levels of lighting with two switches, places like Turkey have used this for years, as did not want to get room too warm, so they moved to fluorescent lighting well before us.

In the UK the tungsten light saved energy, as it resulted in extra heat at night than the day, and so the room thermostat could be set at a lower level, and the inferred heat is not lost through walls as much as heating the air, so until forced by government we used tungsten lights. Unfortunately government advisers looked at power used by bulbs in isolation, not as part of the total energy used by the home.

Same with vented tumble driers, they forget it is using damp pre-heated air from within the home, so air that replaces it needs heating, and it can cause a pressure drop in the home and draw in flue gases into the home. They test in a unheated lab conditions not in a home.

I ripped out all of my dimmer switches years ago, they were an 80's fad, now long gone for most, but some still hang onto old ideas.

'dimmers are an 80s fad' - there's a sweeping statement!

 

[static zap]

dimmer switches years ago, they were an 80's fad,

I do enjoy a low wattage bulb / dimmer to greet my ,
a) Night vision adjusted eyes
b) Fresh out of bed ... early morning experience.
... The fact CFLs were naff at startup was no reason to ditch dimming ! (I know cannot dim normal fluorescents )

 

[dmxtothemax]

You cannot reliably dim a standard floro light.
As you can see the results !
To be able to dim floro's you need a special type of ballast,
And the fitting has to be rewired.
It would be much easier to replace the floro's with Leds.