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[Mal2]

Hi All,

Apologies if that has been asked elsewhere before...

I have a light fitting that runs 8x 5W bulbs, it's on a single switch and I want it on a dimmer.

I've been told by the retailer of the light fitting (Habitat) that it requires a leading edge dimmer switch.

I've searched everywhere for one of these and have not been able find one, in the the DIY multiples the staff just look at you blankly & my local independant electrical shop has been trying to get one for me for weeks, last time I checked they couldn't find one.

There are lots of dimmers on the web that say they can be used with low voltage lighting but are not specified as "Leading Edge" dimmer switches, will these be ok, I don't want it to buzz/blow the circuit...

Can anyone help?

Cheers

Mal

[sparx]

I am surprised that shop sales person would use that expression as it refers to the internal electronic operation of the switch, similar to 'zero crossing'. very much doubt anyone except electronics engineer/hobbyist would have slightest idea about it....he may have just read it somewhere?
Are you sure about lamp ratings? 8 X 5 watts not very bright to begin with, total 40watts?.
Presume low volt transformer light? if so most dimmers suitably marked for use with transformers ok as long as range of watts covers 40watts, most start 40 - 250w, some start 25 -105w,
regards SPARX

[Mal2]

[quote="sparx"]I am surprised that shop sales person would use that expression as it refers to the internal electronic operation of the switch, similar to 'zero crossing'. very much doubt anyone except electronics engineer/hobbyist would have slightest idea about it....he may have just read it somewhere?
Are you sure about lamp ratings? 8 X 5 watts not very bright to begin with, total 40watts?.
Presume low volt transformer light? if so most dimmers suitably marked for use with transformers ok as long as range of watts covers 40watts, most start 40 - 250w, some start 25 -105w,
regards SPARX[/quote]

Cheers for the reply.

Regarding the advice from habitat, it wasn't anyone in the shop, it was their head office, I contacted them to ask about the appropriate dimmer because I'd heard that low voltage bulbs need special switches... and it was they who told me about the 'leading edge' dimmer it requires.

Anyway, the fitting does indeed have an internal transformer and it definately takes 8x 5W bulbs (G4); newer versions of the same fitting now take 8x 10W bulbs (same type). Bizarrely the room is lighter now that the fitting is up than it was before with an ordinary 60W bulb, I guess that's a halogen thing...

The dimmer switch it's on now does buzz a bit and, as I didn't install it I couldn't tell you much about it.. sorry, but would you imagine that if I invest in one such as you outline above the buzzing will stop, or is it inevitable that there will still be some buzzing?

Cheers again

Mal