M
MrSafety
Guest
I have one of these infrared dimmers
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLIQ1402.html
and have been using it for quite a while. Before Xmas I installed 2 sets of Ikea low-voltage lights
http://www.ikea.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...ats=10111*10448
and put 4 x 20w bulbs on each transformer. So, this gives me
gang1 - operates a single 60w bulb in a walk-in cupboatd
gang2 - operates 2 ikea transformers powering 4 x 20w bulbs each - a total of 160w.
The dimmer switch ran warm (but the dimmer switch instructions said it was normal so don't worry) and the switch buzzed when the lights were on or dim which was annoying but I lived with it.
Anyway, on Friday night while the lights were about half-dimmed for 10 minutes continuously, something went "crack", the lights were jacked up to full brightness and the dimmer control wouldn't turn the lights off. It also smelt of electrical burning so I turned off the circuit and took the switch off the wall.
The following day I refitted the switch to the wall but the other way around - I figured I had blown gang 2 but gang 1 was still working and only operating a walk-in cupboard so I swapped them over. The minute I turned on the power the wall switch started smoking and I ran downstairs and turned off the power.
I appear to have blown both gangs on the lightswitch and have reverted back to the normal (undimming) lightswitch.
After checking with the manufacturers I'm told that my LV halogens have a wire-wound transformer and don't work with this dimmer switch. (sigh)
So, what dimmer can I get that:-
(a) is operable via IR
(b) will support the LV halogens with the wattage I've mentioned on gang2
(c) will also allow me to keep the LVs separately operable from the bare bulb in the walk-in cupboard on gang1
(d) takes up the same space as a single light switch on the wall.
I posted this originally on the DIY thread but no recommendations have been forthcoming. Cost of dimmer replacement at this point is becoming a non-issue as life drags on with having to manually turn the lights on/off, so no recommendation will be refused!
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLIQ1402.html
and have been using it for quite a while. Before Xmas I installed 2 sets of Ikea low-voltage lights
http://www.ikea.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...ats=10111*10448
and put 4 x 20w bulbs on each transformer. So, this gives me
gang1 - operates a single 60w bulb in a walk-in cupboatd
gang2 - operates 2 ikea transformers powering 4 x 20w bulbs each - a total of 160w.
The dimmer switch ran warm (but the dimmer switch instructions said it was normal so don't worry) and the switch buzzed when the lights were on or dim which was annoying but I lived with it.
Anyway, on Friday night while the lights were about half-dimmed for 10 minutes continuously, something went "crack", the lights were jacked up to full brightness and the dimmer control wouldn't turn the lights off. It also smelt of electrical burning so I turned off the circuit and took the switch off the wall.
The following day I refitted the switch to the wall but the other way around - I figured I had blown gang 2 but gang 1 was still working and only operating a walk-in cupboard so I swapped them over. The minute I turned on the power the wall switch started smoking and I ran downstairs and turned off the power.
I appear to have blown both gangs on the lightswitch and have reverted back to the normal (undimming) lightswitch.
After checking with the manufacturers I'm told that my LV halogens have a wire-wound transformer and don't work with this dimmer switch. (sigh)
So, what dimmer can I get that:-
(a) is operable via IR
(b) will support the LV halogens with the wattage I've mentioned on gang2
(c) will also allow me to keep the LVs separately operable from the bare bulb in the walk-in cupboard on gang1
(d) takes up the same space as a single light switch on the wall.
I posted this originally on the DIY thread but no recommendations have been forthcoming. Cost of dimmer replacement at this point is becoming a non-issue as life drags on with having to manually turn the lights on/off, so no recommendation will be refused!