Are circular fluorescent lights dimmable?
A friend of mine just called me and asked me this question? I told him that I think they are not dimmable, but I am still checking.
He said someone has him putting up a flush mounted circular fluorescent light in a kitchen ceiling, and she wants to have it put on a dimmer switch.
Nope.
Florescent lights need an internal transformer to pump up the voltage so that the electrons can jump from one end to the other. Attempt to reduce the power and the electrons will no longer be able to make that jump at all. The only practical way to dim a florescent is to put a shield in place.
Well, should have Googled before pressing send.
I do get hits on:
dimmable round fluorescents
This page discusses the issue:
(Don posts here.)
Any fluorescent is dimmable with a dimmable ballast. Therefore, if the fixture contains a dimmable ballast, it's dimmable capable.
GE makes dimmable circline lamps;
Then he should have the specs and/or installation instruction for the actual fixture which will have the information. A typical one is not dimmable, but apparently there are some that are.
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