Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

A device letting its smoke out does not necessarily mean it was overloaded.
Sometimes things just fail.

Why not install a new switch just like the last one? The new one may last
20 years, but it'll eventually fail too, because that's what electrical
things do.


wrote in message
oups.com...
Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

wrote in message
oups.com...
Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan


Sounds like a resister burned out - happens all the time in circuits.
Doesn't imply the circuit is overloaded, just that the switch is toast.

A simple thing like a bulb blowing can take out a dimmer. If this dimmer is
not ganged with other switches, there is no need for a 1000 watt dimmer,
save yourself some money and just get a standard 600 watt model



wrote in message
oups.com...
Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

Kyle Boatright wrote:

A device letting its smoke out does not necessarily mean it was overloaded.
Sometimes things just fail.

Why not install a new switch just like the last one? The new one may last
20 years, but it'll eventually fail too, because that's what electrical
things do.


wrote in message
oups.com...

Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan




Hi,
Sounds like the switch is a rotary type? The switch contacts wore
out(pitted) and caused an arc or simply it had it. Always mechanical
moving parts is the weakest link in any electric/electronic circuits.
If I were you, I'd replace the dimmer with same kind but I'd installed
arc suppressor across switch contacts. A resistor and a cpacitor in
series across the contacts will do.

Eigenvector wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...

Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan



Sounds like a resister burned out - happens all the time in circuits.
Doesn't imply the circuit is overloaded, just that the switch is toast.


Hi,
If resistor was burnt it'll stink bad.

On 29 Oct 2006 18:43:25 -0800, wrote:

Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan


5 years old? Maybe it is at the end of its life expectancy. If you
think not, send it back to the manufacturer for QA'ing. You might get
a free replacement for being a helpful customer. Just guessing.

later,

tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com

Glad to hear that this is just a simple "device wore out" kind of
thing, and is not a case of "dimmer switch got overloaded". This means
I can swap out the old one and replace it with exactly the same model,
and don't need to go around replacing all the light blubs with a lower
power version.

Thanks.

Jay Chan


Kyle Boatright wrote:
A device letting its smoke out does not necessarily mean it was overloaded.
Sometimes things just fail.

Why not install a new switch just like the last one? The new one may last
20 years, but it'll eventually fail too, because that's what electrical
things do.


wrote in message
oups.com...
Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

I'm going to guess that the switch part
of the dimmer just plain failed.
Usually, the mechanical switch in
dimmers, is made from cheap plastic
an will break easily. The smoke may
have been from a little arcing
on the contacts.

wrote:
Glad to hear that this is just a simple "device wore out" kind of
thing, and is not a case of "dimmer switch got overloaded". This means
I can swap out the old one and replace it with exactly the same model,
and don't need to go around replacing all the light blubs with a lower
power version.

Thanks.

Jay Chan


Kyle Boatright wrote:

A device letting its smoke out does not necessarily mean it was overloaded.
Sometimes things just fail.

Why not install a new switch just like the last one? The new one may last
20 years, but it'll eventually fail too, because that's what electrical
things do.


wrote in message
groups.com...

Five years ago, I had an electrician installed a dimmer switch that
controls 8 flood lights in the finished basement. A couple hours ago,
when I tried to turn off the dimmer switch, the button got stuck and I
could not switch it off. When I tried to turn it off, I found a little
smoke coming off from the switch. As mentioned above, I could not turn
off the switch; I had to turn it off by turning off the breaker in the
main panel.

According to past posts, the smoky situation means that the dimmer
switch may be overloaded. But I cannot see why it is overloaded. The
Skylarks dimmer from Lutron is rated as 1000W, and the total load of
those 8 flood lights is only 520W that is only slightly more than 50%
of the rating of the dimmer switch (each flood light is rated as 65W
and 130V). Why did the dimmer switch become overloaded?

Based on my past review of all the circuits in my house, that dimmer
switch circuit should only support those 8 flood lights and nothing
else.

I cannot upgrade the dimmer switch because 1000W is the highest that I
can get according to Lutron web site:
http://www.lutron.com/skylark/?s=17000&t=17200
This means I will have to stick with 1000W dimmer switch. What should
I do to prevent this problem from coming back?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan