...halogen lamp does not dim
#1
...halogen lamp does not dim
undefinedWHEN I SLIDE THE DIMMER FOR MY TORCHIERE LAMP (3000 WATT BULB) THE LIGHT IS AT FULL BRIGHTNESS. THERE IS NO DIMMING EFFECT. I TOOK THE SLIDING VARISTOR OUT AND MEASURED IT AND IT'S RESISTANCE{OHMS} WAS SMOOTH AND VARIABLE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE SWITCH. THERE IS ONLY A REGULATOR AND A LITTLE TOROID COIL [PLUS A CAP AND A RISISTER] ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD.
WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM OF NO DIMMING???
OR CAN I BUY A NEW MODULE FOR THE LIGHT EASIER AND CHEAPER?? AND IF SO WHERE WOULD I LOOK. ANY GENARIC DIMMER FOR THIS SIZE LAMP WILL DO WON'T IT?
THANKS,
GARY DOBBINS
WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM OF NO DIMMING???
OR CAN I BUY A NEW MODULE FOR THE LIGHT EASIER AND CHEAPER?? AND IF SO WHERE WOULD I LOOK. ANY GENARIC DIMMER FOR THIS SIZE LAMP WILL DO WON'T IT?
THANKS,
GARY DOBBINS
#2
3000 watt bulb! Are you running a lighthouse???
No dimmer made in my lifetime uses variable resistors, so using an ohmmeter on it is meaningless. Dimmers use triacs. What is this dimmer and where did you get it?
If the dimmer won't dim, it's probably fried. Which could very well happen if you really have a 3000 watt bulb. Most dimmers are rated for 250 watts, 600 watts (most common), or 1000 watts.
No dimmer made in my lifetime uses variable resistors, so using an ohmmeter on it is meaningless. Dimmers use triacs. What is this dimmer and where did you get it?
If the dimmer won't dim, it's probably fried. Which could very well happen if you really have a 3000 watt bulb. Most dimmers are rated for 250 watts, 600 watts (most common), or 1000 watts.
#3
too many zero's it a 300 watt halogen bulb
I'm full of questions now!!!!
the slider definately increases and decrease resistance when moved therefore i assume it's a sliding potentioneter. Although I've seen hundreds of them maybe this is something else. It has wire brushes touching what seems to be the typical carbon resistor board (from my cursory look); as it slides resistance increases and decreases fron the two posts that are connected in the circuit. and again there is a toroidal type of coil and a what i assumed to be a voltage regulator. The device is riveted to a heat shrink. Could this be a type of voltage delivering transistor?? Heck this has to be a standard variable power supply for the lamp. What gives?
Any help is appreciated.
p.s. since a 3000 watt lamp would have popped any fused (they're all fused) dimmer switch immediately I would have thought you would have guessed ithat I made a mistake
the slider definately increases and decrease resistance when moved therefore i assume it's a sliding potentioneter. Although I've seen hundreds of them maybe this is something else. It has wire brushes touching what seems to be the typical carbon resistor board (from my cursory look); as it slides resistance increases and decreases fron the two posts that are connected in the circuit. and again there is a toroidal type of coil and a what i assumed to be a voltage regulator. The device is riveted to a heat shrink. Could this be a type of voltage delivering transistor?? Heck this has to be a standard variable power supply for the lamp. What gives?
Any help is appreciated.
p.s. since a 3000 watt lamp would have popped any fused (they're all fused) dimmer switch immediately I would have thought you would have guessed ithat I made a mistake
#4
Wide Open Dimmer On 300 Watt Torchiere Lamp
Sirs,
The Lamp Came From Lamps Plus From A Los Angeles Store Aroung 1994. Its Been In Storage For 6 Years. New It Was Around Two Hundred Dollars. Since It Is So Nice I Don't Want To Just Discard It If The Fix Is Reasonable.
Thanks Again
The Lamp Came From Lamps Plus From A Los Angeles Store Aroung 1994. Its Been In Storage For 6 Years. New It Was Around Two Hundred Dollars. Since It Is So Nice I Don't Want To Just Discard It If The Fix Is Reasonable.
Thanks Again
#6
Hmmm... I think I have a similar problem. I had a single 6" recessed light in my kitchen. I have just replaced this and added 3 more 4" recessed lights. I also also installed a new Levitron (Leviton?) dimmer switch. The dimmer worked fine with the old single 6" light which had an incandecent bulb in it. It also works with the new 4" lights if I put incandecsent bulbs in. However, if I install 50W PAR20 halogen bulbs, I get the same results as Gary is describing. The lights simply go on as soon as I start sliding the dimmer. There is no dimming. They are 100% on no matter what the setting on the dimmer is.
The thing that really confused me is that I have track lighting in my living room which also uses 50W PAR20 bulbs. I bought a new Levitron dimmer for these also and it works fine. I even took the bulb out of the track light and installed it in my kitchen. It dims in the track lighting but not in the kitchen.
THe 2 dimmers are identical. Is my kitchen dimmer defective? If so, how can it successfully dim an incandescent bulb but fail to dim a halogen?
Note that these are NOT low voltage halogens. These are HALO 4" recessed lights (H99ICT).
The thing that really confused me is that I have track lighting in my living room which also uses 50W PAR20 bulbs. I bought a new Levitron dimmer for these also and it works fine. I even took the bulb out of the track light and installed it in my kitchen. It dims in the track lighting but not in the kitchen.
THe 2 dimmers are identical. Is my kitchen dimmer defective? If so, how can it successfully dim an incandescent bulb but fail to dim a halogen?
Note that these are NOT low voltage halogens. These are HALO 4" recessed lights (H99ICT).
#7
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My guess would be...
the slider definately increases and decrease resistance when moved therefore i assume it's a sliding potentioneter. Although I've seen hundreds of them maybe this is something else. It has wire brushes touching what seems to be the typical carbon resistor board (from my cursory look); as it slides resistance increases and decreases fron the two posts that are connected in the circuit. and again there is a toroidal type of coil and a what i assumed to be a voltage regulator. The device is riveted to a heat shrink. Could this be a type of voltage delivering transistor?? Heck this has to be a standard variable power supply for the lamp. What gives?
This is probably a pulse width modulator circut. "PWM" it takes the AC voltage and electronically reduces it. It's kind of complicated, but it uses pulses of AC power and doesn't actually drop the voltage like a resistor type dimmer would. That's why it can be so small. Because it's electronic, the part that looks like a transistor is probably burnt out and not pulsing, just letting full power go through.
I would contact the manufacturer of the lamp and see if you can buy a new dimmer for it.
GBUHLMAN:
I'm not sure why your dimmer won't work. I would contact HALO and see what they recommend as far as dimmers go. It seems to be a difference in who made the two fixtures. (the track lighting as opposed to your new fixtures).
This is probably a pulse width modulator circut. "PWM" it takes the AC voltage and electronically reduces it. It's kind of complicated, but it uses pulses of AC power and doesn't actually drop the voltage like a resistor type dimmer would. That's why it can be so small. Because it's electronic, the part that looks like a transistor is probably burnt out and not pulsing, just letting full power go through.
I would contact the manufacturer of the lamp and see if you can buy a new dimmer for it.
GBUHLMAN:
I'm not sure why your dimmer won't work. I would contact HALO and see what they recommend as far as dimmers go. It seems to be a difference in who made the two fixtures. (the track lighting as opposed to your new fixtures).