Dimmers not dim enough

Sep 02, 2003 12 Replies

I have several identical dimmer switches for low-voltage halogen down-lighting.



Where I have four or five lights/transformers controlled by a dimmer, the "dimmest" setting is much brighter than where just one light/transformer is controlled by a dimmer. A one-light circuit can be dimmed to the level of, say, a 5-watt standard bulb. A five-lights ciruit can only be dimmed to the level of, say, a 40-watt bulb.



Being a fan of atmospheric low light :-) I would like to know if I can make a dimmer reduce the light level more, in the case of the four- or five- light circuit, without compromising the brightness of the same lights when they are not dimmed.


Could you not Do It Yourself ?

:-)

Why do 4-5 lights give out 4-5 times more light than one light?

Adam

This may be a silly question, but... Do the dimmers have a minimum load? also can they handle a magnetic (type) load, i.e a transformer?

Just a thought.

Each of the 4 to 5 lamps is individually brighter - not jointly brighter - than a lamp on a single-light circuit.

There is a maximum load specified for these dimmers, which is 250w and which I am not exceeding on a 5-light circuit.

The supplier told me the dimmers were OK to use with transformers (which he also supplied, along with the low-voltage lights).

If the dimmers etc were recommended and supplied by the same place, I'd go back to em and start thumping on the table.

Mostly the dimmer itself is adequate.

Not especially well, no. Some allegedly do.

How is the circuit designed ? Does one dimmer control 1 lamp and transformer or does one dimmer control 4 or so transformers and lamps

Each lamp has its own transformer.

So on my 5-light circuit, one dimmer controls 5 transformers (therefore 5 lamps). When fully dimmed, each of these 5 lamps is brighter (than the single lamp on my fully dimmed 1-light circuit).

have you tried swapping the dimmer switches and seeing if this has any different results?

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