Question about X10/lights/dimming

[technogeeky]

Hey folks!

I want to try some of the X10 dimming stuff in my arpartment but I'm not sure if it's going to work.

I have some tracklighting that is halogen based which connects to a ballast (I assume it's a transformer).

I want to attach a dimmer to it but I'm not sure if it will work. I recently put a manual dimmer up against a flourescent bulb and it flashed instead of dimmed.


Any ideas?

 

[Mark R]

Only dimmers that are designed for dimming low voltage halogen lights can be used - if it doesn't specifically say on the dimmer documentation, the dimmer isn't compatible. Similarly, the transformer for the halogen lights, must also be dimmer compatible.

 

[technogeeky]

Really?

Damn. I hope it is - I really want to dim the lights.

The bulbs in the device are 25W each and there are 5 of them. I don't know enough about electricity to determine anything else.

I thought the minimum was 50W but I assummed the bulbs would add up?

-tg

 

[Mark R]

The problem isn't the bulb wattage - it's the transformer.

If the transformer and dimmer aren't designed to go together - they will malfunction, either causing unstable dimming, flickering and buzzing, or in some cases burning the dimmer.

Even mains voltage halogens aren't that simple - mains voltage halogens have a much higher switch on surge than normal filament bulbs and this can burn dimmers.

 

[technogeeky]

Is there any forum or something I could go look for more advice with regard to compatability?

Thanks,
-tg

 

[Mark R]

What do the instructions say? If you don't have them, what is the model of dimmer you want to use? - maybe a bit of googling will turn up a spec sheet.

Compatability is an important piece of information - I've never seen a dimmer not give clear instructions about compatability. If it's an expensive dimmer, then the chances are it will be 'universal' and will work on mains voltage and low voltage lights with all types of transformer/electronic convertor.

 

[technogeeky]

Mark:

I haven't purchased anything yet except the lights. I'm trying to find a compatable dimmer now.

 

[Mark R]

Good luck.

I've looked a little more into x10, and because of the way x10 works there are known problems with low-voltage halogen lights. 2-wire X10 dimmers are not compatible with LV lights, because the transformer will prevent the x10 signals reaching the dimmer.

So you'll need 3-wire dimmers - if you are replacing wall-mounted light switches, then you may not have 3 wires. Generally, domestic wiring is done so that only 2 wires ('live' and 'switched live') run to a switch. A 3 wire controller needs a neutral as well.

 

[technogeeky]

This news is saddening.

I was just hoping to put a 2 wire dimmer on the outside of the transformer. What can I expect there? Fire? Death? Blinking?