This is Bugging Me
 

About 10 years ago I installed "touch dimmers" inside four metal bodied
table lamps in our home. We really like them because they eliminate
fumbling for a small switch on the lamp base or bulb socket.

The dimmer in the lamp I sit next to while reading died a few months ago
and I replaced it with a new one, a different brand than the originals.

After installing the replacement that lamp would occasionally shut down
or jump to a different intensity level without my touching it. It would
happen perhaps once a week.

I tried tapping the lamp and its shade with a rolled up magazine to see
if I'd messed up an left a "loose disconnection" somewhere when I
installed the replacement touch dimmer, but that didn't have any effect,
the dimmer stayed where it was set.

Thinking the problem might be caused by line spikes I tried reversing
the non polarized line plug to see if that would make the problem go
away. It didn't.

Last night I found out the cause.

There was a small beetle like flying insect buzzing around inside the
lamp shade and when I saw it bump into the metal body of the lamp the
dimmer shut off. It bumped it a second time and the dimmer came on at
its first intensity.

The bug landed on the wall and I quickly sent it to its reward.

What I don't understand is how a tiny bug like that could have enough
body capacitance to activate the dimmer.

Maybe flying around creates enough static charge on its body that when
it touched the lamp there's enough discharge to trip the dimmer.

Has anyone else ever experienced this bugging of a touch dimmer?

Thanks Guys,

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

This is Bugging Me
 

I tried tapping the lamp ... with a rolled-up magazine...

Naughty lamp. Naughty lamp!


What I don't understand is how a tiny bug like that could have
enough body capacitance to activate the dimmer.
Maybe flying around creates enough static charge on its body
that when it touched the lamp there's enough discharge to trip
the dimmer.

That sounds plausible. Helicopters develop a very high static charge.

This is Bugging Me
 

"jeff_wisnia" wrote in message
...

About 10 years ago I installed "touch dimmers" inside four metal bodied
table lamps in our home. We really like them because they eliminate
fumbling for a small switch on the lamp base or bulb socket.

The dimmer in the lamp I sit next to while reading died a few months ago
and I replaced it with a new one, a different brand than the originals.

After installing the replacement that lamp would occasionally shut down or
jump to a different intensity level without my touching it. It would
happen perhaps once a week.

I tried tapping the lamp and its shade with a rolled up magazine to see if
I'd messed up an left a "loose disconnection" somewhere when I installed
the replacement touch dimmer, but that didn't have any effect, the dimmer
stayed where it was set.

Thinking the problem might be caused by line spikes I tried reversing the
non polarized line plug to see if that would make the problem go away. It
didn't.

Last night I found out the cause.

There was a small beetle like flying insect buzzing around inside the lamp
shade and when I saw it bump into the metal body of the lamp the dimmer
shut off. It bumped it a second time and the dimmer came on at its first
intensity.

The bug landed on the wall and I quickly sent it to its reward.

What I don't understand is how a tiny bug like that could have enough body
capacitance to activate the dimmer.

Maybe flying around creates enough static charge on its body that when it
touched the lamp there's enough discharge to trip the dimmer.

Has anyone else ever experienced this bugging of a touch dimmer?

Thanks Guys,

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

It was a flying capacitor not a beatle.

This is Bugging Me
 

On Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:48:34 -0500, jeff_wisnia
wrote:

What I don't understand is how a tiny bug like that could have enough
body capacitance to activate the dimmer.

It's not capacitance. The dimmer switch acts on changes to the amount
of 60Hz hummmmm that it picks up. Anything that abruptly changes the
amount of hum will cause the switch to trip. The bettle is apparently
slightly conductive (mostly water) and acts as a slightly larger
antenna for the dimmer switch. When you get close to the switch with
your hand, it's the capacitance between your body and the switch which
increases the hum level. When something actually touches the switch,
it's conduction, which has a greater effect than capacitance.

--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558
# http://802.11junk.com
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS