Need a remote dimmer that can handle 500w

[totalnewbie]

hi guys

i went to get a remote dimmer for my spotlights which total 500w in my living room (50wx10). I lighting store guy was showing me a 600w dimmer at first but then stated something about derating and to be honest i dont know much about this derating business. He basically said that the 600w dimmer may have to be derated as your using mains halogen spotlights so in the end the 600w dimmer will only be good for 450w which isnt good for me!

can anyone shed some light on this whole derating business or a place where i can find a more powerful dimmer? (must be slim fit)


thanks for your help

[woodworker1]

Just installed a Futronix remote dimmer, and it's the daddy. Has two channels, which each handle 300 watts, so you can have 600 watts in total, like I have, 12 x 50w halogens. There are 20 programmes that you can input to your own level on each channel, so that's 40 in total!!!!!
It also allows you to have the lights coming on while you're away, again all programmable. You can also have the dimming rate to your taste, so if you want that "cinema" feel, simply set a slow dim rate and I kid you not, it looks more expensive that the £150 I paid. It also has a LED display (not obtrusive) which states what programme level you current have on, and it's a flat plate brushed aluminium face plate. Check them out, mine is the 100 model. You can get ones that do more channels and multi rooms etc.

[dolph]

Varilight 600W remote dimmer works fine with 10x50W mains halogen. I know I'm doing it....

Edit: Re-read your post - Varilight isn't slim fit....

[carl1010_1]

hi m8

try CEF i got my dimmer yesterday from there and it is for 12 x 50w gu10's .

it is a varilight 1000 watt model
hope this helps

[Higgers]

Originally Posted by carl1010_1

hi m8

try CEF i got my dimmer yesterday from there and it is for 12 x 50w gu10's .

it is a varilight 1000 watt model
hope this helps

I've never heard of CEF, could you post a link please?

1KW dimmer?! Wow! I didn't know those existed. We've got 12 GU10s in out kitchen split into three circuits because we couldn't find a dimmer with a high enough rating to cope with all 12. I think our dimmers are rated for 300W so we've got two sets of 5x30W (so that the maximum load is half the maximum load the dimmer is rated for, I still don't know why you have to do that for GU10s) and two 50W above the table.

[dolph]

http://tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VL1000.html

[davee]

Once you get to 1000w heat dissipation fom the dimmer becomes the issue which is why when you get to higher loadings the dimming unit is often remote