light dimmer gets hot when turned on


  #1  
Old 03-18-02, 05:34 PM
thickstout
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light dimmer gets hot when turned on

I recently moved into this house and the dimmer on my dining room light gets really hot after being on for any amount of time. I replaced it with a new dimmer but it also gets hot. Is there a special type of switch that i should get to resolve this? Is this dangerous?
 
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Old 03-18-02, 05:39 PM
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From the lutron (dimmer manufacturer) website Ferq. asked questions.
Q. YOUR CUSTOMERS MAY NOTICE THAT THEIR DIMMERS SOMETIMES FEEL WARM TO THE TOUCH. WHY DO DIMMERS GET WARM, AND IS THIS SAFE?
A. The technical explanation. During normal operation, solid-state dimmers generate heat. A solid-state dimmer is roughly 98% efficient-2% of the power is dissipates as heat, causing the dimmer to feel warm to the touch. The closer a dimmer is run to full output and the higher the load (watts) on the dimmer, the warmer it will feel.

Your customers need to know. This is perfectly normal and safe. Lutron dimmers are designed to the strictest UL safety standard, and can handle their full rated load (a 600 Watt dimmer can handle a full 600W of power*. Without overheating.

http://www.lutron.com/product_technical/faq.html
 
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Old 03-20-02, 10:31 AM
thickstout
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Interesting, thanks for the info. I don't notice this on any of my other dimmers and this one is really hot. But sounds like it's normal.
 
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Old 03-20-02, 07:21 PM
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It depends on the load. If your other dimmers had lighter loads (fewer watts) then they would run cooler.

Also, a dimmer in a metal box would run cooler than one in a plastic box.

Not to mention that multiple dimmers in the same box will run hotter than the same dimmers in separate boxes.
 
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Old 03-20-02, 07:43 PM
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If I recall, in the dial-type potentiameter days (old style dimmer), it didn't get as hot as the newer style solid state dimmer.
 
 

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