CWLee wrote:
"Jeff Wisnia" wrote

"No, if the bulb loads are connected to the output of the
dimmer then my comments about phantom oltages are likely not
relavent. It certainly does not sound like they are working
properly if you see any voltage at all across the lamp loads
when the toggle lever is moved to full OFF."

Perhaps I mislead you earlier; let me clarify. The reading
of about 50 volts was not done with the bulbs as a load.
The house circuit was wired to the switch, and then the
leads from the voltmeter were attached to the output side of
the switch. At the time the switch was not mounted to the
housing, but rather suspended in air from the house wires.
Then the toggle lever was moved and readings noted.

We have not tested to see if the bulbs are warm after
several hours in the OFF position. That sounds like a good
test, and we have considered it, and will eventually do it.
Because of other wiring and construction going on in that
part of the house, requiring that certain circuits remain
shut down, it has not been practical to perform such a test
yet. I'll keep you posted on any new developments. If the
additional information provided in this post gives you
further insight, please share it.

Thanks, and best regards.

====================


snipped my previous blatherings...

I'd bet what's left of my virginity against a cigarette butt that if you
make the voltage measurement you described WITH the bulb loads connected
you'll see the voltage goes to zero when the slider is all the way down.

That 40-50 volts you measured was a "phantom" voltage developed by
miniscule leakage currents, too low to even fry a mosquito, flowing
through the megohms high input impedance of your voltmeter.

Capice?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."