I have just got a 1000w rated dimmer switch. In the accompanying leaflet, it says that's for incandescent lighting; for halogen lights the rating is
500w. Why such a difference?
lightswitch rating?
Jun 22, 2005
5 Replies
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First reply
All sorts of lights have a much lower initial resistance, when cold, so draw much more power cold.
Read the full reply500w. Why such a difference?
Information here may be outdated?
All sorts of lights have a much lower initial resistance, when cold, so draw much more power cold.
Beacause halogen lighting draws as much as twice the rated current on startup from cold.
So it's just the start-up that's the problem? i.e., when halogens are warmed up the switch could handle (quick calculate...) up to 20 gu10s?
But 20 X gu10s might have an initial current draw equivalent of 50 X gu10s, until warm.
It's not the switch that's the problem. It's the dimmer part.
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