Dimmer spares.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Have lots of dimmers here, and the most common failure is the push on/off switch - part of the pot. And haven't been able to find a source of them.

[Brian Gaff]

Really? I used to find it was the triac when bulbs blew short.

Sounds like crap switches. , probably some chinese outfits makes the pots with push switches. Many many many years ago you could find such things at Tandy, but maybe nobody repairs dimmers these days so nobody actually sources them any more. Brian

[charles]

Rapid Electronics seem to have some quite obscure items

[Andy Burns]

I like the v-pro dimmers, most of the ones I have are in a two position grid faceplate along with a 2-way switch, but where I wanted one in a single faceplate a one position grid seemed overkill so I drilled a blank faceplate and fitted one of these

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Nothing like as common as the switch failing here.

The type with a rotary switch used to be common in many places like Tandy. But I've never seen the push on/off type (actually a two way switch) on sale anywhere - hence the post.

[whisky-dave]

I condered one of these when my dimmer stoped working but realised that the depth was too deep so for a quid more I brought a new dimmer with the face plate that I wanted to change anyway.

As I said at the time repairing dimmer down to component level is both not worth it and not very practical anyway.

[Peter Parry]

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In this particular case it is 4 dimmers on a polished chrome 2-gang plate. Nearly 40 quid from TLC. Of course easy to change an individual dimmer on that plate for an identical one. Which I've already done, so have several spares needing new switches only.

It's in the kitchen, so gets switched many times a day every day.

If three had been enough, I'd have used a grid type with three dimmers and a master switch. ;-)

Did wonder what the warranty was.

[Andy Burns]

Yes they need a deep box, but let me use a faceplate with the logicplus/gridplus profile same as all others in the house.

[whisky-dave]

So why did you go on about how you chnage the triacs in dimmers a few months ago ?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Because they sometimes fail too?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Thanks, Peter. Any idea where I can buy them in small quantities?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Had already decided to get a new one complete. Ordered it yesterday for collection from my local branch - but didn't get the usual email first thing today saying it was on its way there. So phoned them up. Man said they'd got 3 in stock so went to pick one up. But they were satin chrome, not polished.

Very helpful counter person said they have spare modules for a tenner. So more expensive per unit than a complete one with plate and knobs. ;-)

Since I couldn't be arsed messing around and going back when the correct one came in, I bought a three gang and have swapped modules. It has a 15 year warrenty, so I'll make sure to keep the receipt. ;-)

None of the existing modules are original. Loading is modest - 100w, 150w and 225w with the fourth being merely a switch. All are rated at 400w. (Metal faceplate and deep steel back box)

Makes me assume no-one ever claims under warranty.

[Peter Parry]

Farnell

[Andy Burns]

475W of lighting "modest" for a kitchen?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's a kitchen breakfast room. But missed out the florries under the cupboards.

Hence having 4 lighting circuits. You use the ones you want.

[whisky-dave]

They do but they arenlt replaceable in the vast majority of dimmers, otherwise they;d make nthen as easy to change as switches, but as you posted what they do have on offer is the whole dimmer unit excluding the face plate. IF triacs were replaceable they'd be selling them.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

As with most electronics, repair comes down to the capabilities of the individual and if they are willing to spend the effort doing so.

All you've said is you either can't, or can't be bothered. Some enjoy repairing things - rather than just throwing them away - for the sake of it. After all this started off as a DIY group, not that you'd know it these days.

[whisky-dave]

and whether or not spare parts are avaible and unless you have a 40+ year o ld dimmer they aren't. Most would just bin the whole dimmer.

It can't and even if it did it wouldn't have worked because the reason it s topped working was becuse it was used withy LEDs and as I wanted it to work with LED replacing the traic wouldn;t have made it work, plus I wanted a d iffernt face plate and changing triacs does NOT change the face plate.

If repairable but dimmers aren't if you have a one made in this melenium.

Most people in this centrury reading this group and/or doing DIY don't have to trap, kill and skin their own food. Although it wouldn't suprise me if some or rather one here in the far north might go on hunting naked and barefoot in the winter for their food.

[tabbypurr]

When it comes to dimmers you don't have a clue, but think you're an expert.