DIYbanter - View Single Post - Dimmer switch(s)

CJT

wrote:

On Jan 27, 11:15 am, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

wrote:..

Another Nick classic. Quick with the numbers and clueless as
usual. The guy didn't ask if a bulb that is at half brightness uses
less energy. Any dummy knows that. What he asked was whether the
energy saved at the bulb just shows up as energy wasted at the
dimmer. Which of course it doesn;t because dimmers are Triacs. I guess that could be called a trader4 classic since not all dimmers are

triacs.

His numbers are correct and I believe he properly addressed the
question. Often a question calls for additional information.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

Sorry, but I have to disagree. All Nick addressed was how much
energy is consumed in the light bulbs. That was not the question.
We all know a bulb that is burning at half brightness is going to use
less energy. The question was whether the energy saved in the light
bulb is just dissipated instead in the dimmer. And it would be if
the dimmer were a resistor.

But even if it were a resistor, the heat dissipated might not be much,
because the total resistance of the (presumably) series-connected
resistor and bulb would be greater than that of the bulb alone, so the
total system dissipation would drop.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .