Light Switch Advise

[Chris Spyrou]

The light set-up:

- 240W Spot Lights in the Kitchen.

- 2 x 20W Under Cabinet Lights (4 of these)

- 1 x 60W Hallogen Light in one hallway and 1 x 60W Hallogen Light in the other hallway operated together off the same connection.

- 1 x 150W Outside Garden Light - no sensor

I would like to have 2 double dimmers like these ones.

[1st] left dimmer to operate the kitchen light and the right dimmer to operate the under cabinet lights. The [2nd] left dimmer to operate the 2 hallway lights and the right dimmer to operate the garden light. Also to retain the 1G2W switch that turns on/off the hallway lights.

Is this possible?

I don't think the 4 Gang Dimmer Switch will be OK for this.

've read this and it seems that it should be OK. help will be appreciated.

[Richard]

If you wish to dim halogen lamps you must have electronic type transformers and the correct type of dimmer switch.

[Chris Spyrou]

Thanks, but according to the technical data above it seems OK, unless I'm reading it wrong.

[John Rumm]

Are these under cabinet lights using fluorescent or filament bulbs?

[Chris Spyrou]

It's these. I also purchased 3 linking leads.

[Christian McArdle]

Wow! 400W of lighting in your kitchen. Hope you don't live on a low lying island. Apart from the global warming caused, this will cost about 30-60 pounds a year to run, before the cost of bulbs is considered, (they will be likely to pop on a regular basis).

Christian.

[John Rumm]

for a moment ;-)

The fact that they have electronic transformers should make them dimmable.

[Chris Spyrou]

Ooops, I thought it was 80W total for the Cabinet Lights, not

160W!

The plan was to use dimmers to control the light. Also unlikely that both sets would be on at the same time. Problem is that someone mentioned that dimmers may not work, so sort of stuck now.

So if dimmers are out of the questions might just use 3 switch

and move the garden light switch eleswhere or just go for a 4 switch

[Chris Spyrou]

Yeah, but bit worried now as the total 160W and the spots are

240W. The dimmers I was going to get were these so may not be suitable now.

[BigWallop]

You might find that these little halogen bulbs don't last very long because they're enclosed in small spaces in these fittings. The longest we had one last was three months. It might have been because we used the room as a tele' room, and had the lights on in the background for hours at a time, but I know they don't last as long as the open ones we have now.

[Christian McArdle]

I don't know how many spot lights you have. It can be a good idea to run as two circuits with alternate bulbs. This enables a very simple dimming where you only turn on one bank.

Christian.