I have some lights in a rough space that are plug-in lights. To power
them, last year I wired up a duplex receptacle high up by the
ceiling. Power to that outlet is controlled by a single pole switch
at regular height.

Here's my question: is it ok to replace that switch with a dimmer?
Nothing else would ever be plugged into the outlet. You can't even
reach it without an 8' ladder.

"ben" wrote in message
...
I have some lights in a rough space that are plug-in lights. To power
them, last year I wired up a duplex receptacle high up by the
ceiling. Power to that outlet is controlled by a single pole switch
at regular height.

Here's my question: is it ok to replace that switch with a dimmer?
Nothing else would ever be plugged into the outlet. You can't even
reach it without an 8' ladder.

That's fine, what you don't want to do, is wire a receptacle to a dimmer, in
a location that someone might plug in a vacuum

On 2009-08-14, ben wrote:

I have some lights in a rough space that are plug-in lights. To
power them, last year I wired up a duplex receptacle high up by the
ceiling. Power to that outlet is controlled by a single pole switch
at regular height. Here's my question: is it ok to replace that
switch with a dimmer? Nothing else would ever be plugged into the
outlet. You can't even reach it without an 8' ladder.

It is not actually NEC compliant. From the 2008 NEC, 404.14(E) states:

Dimmer Switches. General-use dimmer switches shall be used only to
control permanently installed incandescent luminaires unless listed
for the control of other loads and installed accordingly.

So it would be better to hardwire the lights. Or there are a couple
receptacle solutions that comply with 404.14(E). You can get a
plug-in dimmer than goes between the lights and the receptacle and
uses a wireless control.

Or I believe somebody makes a special plug and receptacle that you can
use, which is marketed only for dimming receptacles for lamps. Then
you replace the receptacle and change the plug end on your lights.

Cheers, Wayne

On Aug 13, 9:49*pm, ben wrote:
I have some lights in a rough space that are plug-in lights. *To power
them, last year I wired up a duplex receptacle high up by the
ceiling. *Power to that outlet is controlled by a single pole switch
at regular height.

Here's my question: is it ok to replace that switch with a dimmer?
Nothing else would ever be plugged into the outlet. *You can't even
reach it without an 8' ladder.

It's probably not code, but I have a receptacle controlled by a dimmer
for a floor lamp.

It is however, covered with something similar to this:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/lmnrgm

except that mine requires a screw driver to take off. Somebody would
have to really, really, *really* want to plug something else into this
receptacle.

It's not legal but I have one like that

Me too..controls a rope light "washing a wall" strung along the ceiling
behind a short ceiling drop

Or, a CPAP machine? Don't want to plug one of those into a
dimmer?

I don't know the answer to this, but I suspect CFL bulbs
don't dim properly. Just filament bulbs. Imagine all the
dimmers which will be unemployed when we're 100% CFL. Do
they plan on extending unemployment to lamp dimmers? Maybe
they can be retrained. Or shipped to India, and taught how
to answer phones.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"RBM" wrote in message
...

That's fine, what you don't want to do, is wire a receptacle
to a dimmer, in
a location that someone might plug in a vacuum

I'm remembering the story of the guy on the factory line,
who wanted to tie a rope, to the killswitch which was on the
second floor catwalk. Too many times, something would drop
into the machine, and someone would have to run at full
speed up the flight of stairs (or the ladder) to yank on the
killswitch. Which could mean some major body damage, if
someone was reaching in.

So, he writes the proposal. Tie a rope to the disconnect, so
if the problem is at the lower level, we can pull the rope.

Management denied the application. Why? Because during a
shutdown, someone might push the rope up, thus restarting
the equipment in a dangerous manner.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Rudy" wrote in message
...
It's not legal but I have one like that

Me too..controls a rope light "washing a wall" strung along
the ceiling
behind a short ceiling drop

How'd you know! That's spooky!

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


wrote in message
...
On Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:46:09 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I'm remembering the story of the guy on the factory line,
who wanted to tie a rope, to the killswitch which was on
the
second floor catwalk. Too many times, something would drop
into the machine, and someone would have to run at full
speed up the flight of stairs (or the ladder) to yank on
the
killswitch. Which could mean some major body damage, if
someone was reaching in.

So, he writes the proposal. Tie a rope to the disconnect,
so
if the problem is at the lower level, we can pull the rope.

Management denied the application. Why? Because during a
shutdown, someone might push the rope up, thus restarting
the equipment in a dangerous manner.


Only in a Viagra factory

On Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:49:01 -0700 (PDT), ben
wrote:

I have some lights in a rough space that are plug-in lights. To power
them, last year I wired up a duplex receptacle high up by the
ceiling. Power to that outlet is controlled by a single pole switch
at regular height.

Here's my question: is it ok to replace that switch with a dimmer?
Nothing else would ever be plugged into the outlet. You can't even
reach it without an 8' ladder.


It may or may not be safe, depending on what is plugged into it. It
would be better to plug a dimmer into the outlet.

The problem is not so much something that you might do that
would make it unsafe, but something someone else might do. Don't say
that will not happen. I had a friend who had a stoke and dieded
reciently. Yea, there were several things that if eveyone knew about
them and understood the possible risk would be OK, but since he was
not able to pass along his knowledge and the people who were caring
for him knew nothing about it or what to do if they saw it.

It is just a very bad idea and as you know illegal.

Is the receptacle too bright?



ben wrote:
I have some lights in a rough space that are plug-in lights. To power
them, last year I wired up a duplex receptacle high up by the
ceiling. Power to that outlet is controlled by a single pole switch
at regular height.

Here's my question: is it ok to replace that switch with a dimmer?
Nothing else would ever be plugged into the outlet. You can't even
reach it without an 8' ladder.

On Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:40:11 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:42:54 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Or, a CPAP machine? Don't want to plug one of those into a
dimmer?

I don't know the answer to this, but I suspect CFL bulbs
don't dim properly. Just filament bulbs. Imagine all the
dimmers which will be unemployed when we're 100% CFL. Do
they plan on extending unemployment to lamp dimmers? Maybe
they can be retrained. Or shipped to India, and taught how
to answer phones.

They make dimmable CFLs but they are expensive.
That is an interesting point though. How many people will swap out
incandescents for CFLs without thinking about the dimmer?
I see another proposal coming ;-)


One main reason not switching to CFLs is the dimmer switch. The other
reason is cost.

On Aug 13, 10:49*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:49:01 -0700 (PDT), ben
wrote:

I have some lights in a rough space that are plug-in lights. *To power
them, last year I wired up a duplex receptacle high up by the
ceiling. *Power to that outlet is controlled by a single pole switch
at regular height.

Here's my question: is it ok to replace that switch with a dimmer?
Nothing else would ever be plugged into the outlet. *You can't even
reach it without an 8' ladder.

It's not legal but I have one like that
Come and get me copper!
I do have a label on the cover so I won't forget.

I used to have a couple of outlets like that too. They were outlets on
a mantel that had a couple of small lamps pluged into them. During the
holidays they had Christmas lights connected to them. They were also
wired into a 3 way switch that allowed either the overhead light or
the lamps to be on but not both. The house was wired like that when I
moved in.

Jimmie