Most are. Apart from the rotary only ones.
If you are a bit inventive BTW you can take the dimmer apart,
add a remote external bigger TRIAC on a decent heastink,
and get any wattage you like, really.
I don';t hae that.
I have a dimmer, and a switchm, bith two way.
Only problem is if someone switches it off with the dimmer turned right down...:-)
Harry Bloomfield retched Dimmer switch: two gang 400W / 220W -- possible? onto my recliner:
You're the dimmer.
400w each gang I think. Leastways I have 6x 50W LV's happily working off one bank, and 3 off another, and 3x40w candles on the third. All on one large plate - as in double mains socket size.
I have had a LOT of problems with that range at first tho - all the candle bulb equipped circuits have blown the triacs, but I got free upgraded modules and they are all fine now.
The LV stuff - running of electronic transformers - has been flawless.
Apparently candle bulbs do >10A when they blow and arc over for considerable periods. They ALWAYS trip my 6A circuits when they go.
I should add that the heritage replacement triac modules - now standard I believe- have been faultless.
I am not sure these are the ones I have, but here is a 400W double
It seems that 400W on a single, and 300W on a double, is the order of the day. Or 400W on a triple on a big metal face plate.
My electronic transformers were part of a rather shoddy kit from the same shop (track units) and a big newey and eyere own brand electronic to drive the second bank of three LV's. The dimmers are nothing special, but the transformer units awere slod as 'fully dimmable' amnd in fact they are.
I suspect there are different things gong on with dimamble LV lighting
- that is
(i) some electronics can't be dimmed. (ii) some electronics are designed to respond to the dimmer output correctly. These require no derating or specialised dimmers (iii) Toroids put a weird load on the dimmers, and probably need a specially designed and derated dimmer. Dimmers 'designed for LV' probably WILL work with toroids.
IME LV's put far less load on teh dimmers than incandescents. Mosrt have slow atrt up featires, and so don't surge. You can PROBABLY drive up to
8 50W LV's off a 250W dimmer in reality, tho it may get warm.
Ohh. Who's not had a shag for a week then?
Isn't this slightly bonkers? They do a 400W double module that is above the plate limit of 380W all on its own. So just how would you accommodate a
400W module? Does that 380W plate limit only apply to powering halogens?Hmm.
Cheers! Mike
Why, are you up for one with him?
According to the datasheet, the row limit is only 380W until you get to a whopping 18 or 24 module plate. So presumably your 400W dimmer is not fully loaded either? Either that or your kitchen is a fantastic light extravanganza !
Who would have thought it would be so complicated? Until I got into this, a switch was a switch was a switch. Interesting though.
Another thing I learned by looking at the "standard" MK dimmer switch datasheet is that even though you might think that your dimmer switch will power your 400W total of halogens, it then says that it will only control a maximum of 4 transformers. Aaargh ! I was planning for each hologen to have its own transformer ! Is this transformer limit common to all dimmer switches? Please say no !
Mike
There's a table in the data sheet.
For halogens, there's a plate limit of 600W for a 6 module grid for example.
.andy
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The Natural Philosopher retched Dimmer switch: two gang 400W / 220W -- possible? onto my recliner:
How the hell am I supposed to know?
Who me? No, it's him! retched Dimmer switch: two gang 400W / 220W -- possible? onto my recliner:
Paedo's everywhere!
Well it is, but the 400W dimmer has 300W on it.
Normally grid switches are used in offices or other commercial applications. There are all kinds of modules available, and others which could be put together that are not compatible from a technical or a regulatory perspective.
The technology is remarkably similar at the power end of these. The control arrangements vary - for example soft start like the K4500 series has.
If you are going to give each halogen its own transformer, wouldn't it be easier to use mains ones?
.andy
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