By Mark J. Donovan
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Dimmer
Switches are excellent for setting the mood in a dining room or home
theater. They are also easy to install. However there are a few things to
consider before going out and buying a Dimmer Switch.
Types of Bulbs that can be used with Dimmer Switches
First,
dimmer switches are only meant to work with 120V incandescent bulbs and
halogen bulbs. They are not meant to be used with fluorescent bulbs and most
compact fluorescent bulbs.
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The
reason for this is that dimmer switches are meant to work with bulbs with
wire filaments, which 120V incandescent and halogen bulbs have. Fluorescent
bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs, on the other hand contain a gas that
requires a certain amount of voltage to operate the light. Consequently they
should not be used with a dimmer switch
For low
voltage halogen bulbs a special dimmer switch should be used.
Type
of Dimmer Switch (Single Pole or 3-WAY)
Second,
there are single pole and 3-way dimmer switches. Make sure you pick the right
one for your application. If the light can only be turned on via one switch then
you need a single pole dimmer switch. If the light can be turned on by two
switches then you need a 3-way dimmer switch. Note that in a 3-way lighting
application only one of the switches can be a dimmer switch.
Dimmer
Switches Save Energy
Old dimmer
switch technology worked on the principal of controlling the voltage to the
light fixture. As the dimmer switch was turned up or down, the voltage supplied
to the light fixture was correspondingly elevated up or down. This type of
dimmer switch utilized a rheostat to vary the voltage to the light and was
highly energy inefficient.
Today’s
dimmer switches, on the other hand, operate using a TRIAC which effectively
switches the power on and off to the light bulb at a high frequency. The
rate of switching is so fast that you can not discern the bulb is ever off.
However, it is this function that controls the dimming function in today’s
modern dimmer switches.
Due to
the fact that the light is turned off a portion of the time with these TRIAC
based dimmer switches, dramatic energy savings are realized. In addition,
the life of the light bulb is also significantly extended. For example, if
the bulb is dimmed to 50% of its output, it will save roughly 40% in energy
costs, and can extend the life of the bulb up to 5-20 times, depending upon
the bulb type.
Dimmer Switches Get Hot
If you
feel the cover plate on a dimmer switch you will notice that it can get
rather warm. This is normal. Solid state dimmer switches are about 98%
efficient. The remaining 2% of power is converted to heat, and is dissipated
towards the front metal plate of the dimmer switch. As long as the lighting
load is rated at no more than 90% of the wattage rating of the dimmer switch
there is no reason for concern for the warm cover plate. When buying a
dimmer switch, notice the packaging will clearly state the wattage rating,
e.g. 600 watts. Consequently a dimmer switch with a 600 watt power rating
could safely support a 540 watt load.
Dimmer
switches are excellent accessories to a dining room, living room, and
especially a home theater room. Just make sure you fully understand your
lighting application prior to running to a home improvement store to
purchase one.
For information on Changing a Light
Switch, See HomeAdditionPlus.com's "How
to Change a Light Switch Ebook". It provides detailed, easy to
understand, step-by-step instructions and pictures, on how to replace a
Light Switch.
How to Finance your Home Electrical Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
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