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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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Poll - dimmer switches
Having discussed this rather too much recently, anyone got any real life
data?: 1) Have your replaced an ordinary switch with dimmer switch? 2) Did you notice a reduction in the maximum brightness? 3) Did you because of said reduction, or for any other reason, increase the bulb wattage because of the dimmer? 4) What is your usage pattern for your dimmer controlled lights? (i.e. full brightness mostly, dimmed mostly, half and half etc) -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#2
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Poll - dimmer switches
On Sep 24, 6:39 pm, John Rumm wrote:
Having discussed this rather too much recently, anyone got any real life data?: 1) Have your replaced an ordinary switch with dimmer switch? 2) Did you notice a reduction in the maximum brightness? 3) Did you because of said reduction, or for any other reason, increase the bulb wattage because of the dimmer? 4) What is your usage pattern for your dimmer controlled lights? (i.e. full brightness mostly, dimmed mostly, half and half etc) I think all the FAQ needs to say is that dimming a filament lamp gives a drop in light output but a much _smaller_ drop in power consumption; the lamp's efficiency drops considerably. So from an energy saving point of view, the need for occasional extra light is best done by just that; extra lighting rather than having filament lamps dimmed most of the time and then turned up full occasionally. Extra lighting can be more lights on another switch, uplighters, over cabinet lights, spot lights, whatever. Though for some rooms like bathrooms, the lights themselves aren't used so much anyway and there's less scope for adding extra lighting too. cheers, Pete. |
#3
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Poll - dimmer switches
In article ,
John Rumm wrote: Having discussed this rather too much recently, anyone got any real life data?: 1) Have your replaced an ordinary switch with dimmer switch? I've got about 20 in various places. 2) Did you notice a reduction in the maximum brightness? Yes. 3) Did you because of said reduction, or for any other reason, increase the bulb wattage because of the dimmer? No - the reduction is far less than changing size of bulbs - at least in the common wattages. More like changing from a GLS to softone, etc. 4) What is your usage pattern for your dimmer controlled lights? (i.e. full brightness mostly, dimmed mostly, half and half etc) They all get varied. Whole point of fitting a dimmer. But I'd point out I don't have an example of a room with dimmer which just has a central light. -- *Some days we are the flies; some days we are the windscreen.* Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
#4
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Poll - dimmer switches
"John Rumm" wrote in message ... Having discussed this rather too much recently, anyone got any real life data?: 1) Have your replaced an ordinary switch with dimmer switch? Yes 2) Did you notice a reduction in the maximum brightness? Slight 3) Did you because of said reduction, or for any other reason, increase the bulb wattage because of the dimmer? No, because we bought dimmers because the main lights were generally too bright most of the time. 4) What is your usage pattern for your dimmer controlled lights? (i.e. full brightness mostly, dimmed mostly, half and half etc) Mostly dimmed to create ambient light of an evening. |
#5
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Poll - dimmer switches
John Rumm wrote:
Having discussed this rather too much recently, anyone got any real life data?: 1) Have your replaced an ordinary switch with dimmer switch? 2) Did you notice a reduction in the maximum brightness? 3) Did you because of said reduction, or for any other reason, increase the bulb wattage because of the dimmer? 4) What is your usage pattern for your dimmer controlled lights? (i.e. full brightness mostly, dimmed mostly, half and half etc) I guess you do want to go there then. Theres no way youre going to get useful data here as the sample size is far too small. Your proposition is that: If you knock 5% off the light ouutput, no-one will uprate their lamps. If this is true, then logically it should continue to hold true... time after time, ie another 5% and noone will notice etc. With a large population what happens is that people uprate the bulbs at various points along that downward path. There is no one place or zone where this uprating occurs, its spread out. As the amount you reduce it by gets ever smaller, the number of people swapping bulb power gets ever smaller. But you dont end up with any gain. This isnt really specifically a lighting question, its more one of statistics and applies to lots of life situations. The people to ask about this for an expertly explained response will be a maths newsgroup. Since you want data, FWIW I used to have dimmers, but never really used them to dim. One of those things that once seemed like a good idea but actually was pointless. 1. yes 2. there was no opportunity for comparison, the dimmers went in from the beginning of the lighting scheme. 3. Total wattage chosen was on the high side in one room, 600w IIRC, in the knowledge that dimmers were going in. Elsewhere no change. So yes in one case, no elsewhere. 4. Always on full. Many lights were on more than one switch, and operating it like a switchbank was simply easier than using the dimmer. It meant no need to stop as walking by. At the time I knew nothing about efficacy and dimming, switchbanks or anything like that. NT |
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