i have a wall switch that turns on the light when it gets dark and
turns it off after several hours. are there energy-saving bulbs that
would work with this kind of switch? the only low-energy bulbs in the
shops seem to be for dimmable switches.

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:32:21 +0100, ernie mendoza
wrote:

i have a wall switch that turns on the light when it gets dark and
turns it off after several hours. are there energy-saving bulbs that
would work with this kind of switch? the only low-energy bulbs in the
shops seem to be for dimmable switches.

It's possible your automatic switch needs to be able to continuously
pass a small current to run it's electronics, IE has only 2 terminals
a live in and a live out. If this is so then you may get a problem
with some low energy lamps which pass zero current until they strike
and light up fully.

Not all switches are like this and similarly some lamps may pass
enough current anyway to operate the switch.

Without knowledge of which types you've got it's not possible to
advise further except to say if you do have this problem then the set
up can usually be made to work by wiring a very low wattage filament
lamp (Eg. a 15w night light) in parallel with the low energy lamp.
This will ensure a continuity of supply to the switch while the E/S
lamp is off.

As an alternative you can also buy low energy lamps with the dusk to
dawn function built in.

Derek

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:32:21 +0100 someone who may be ernie mendoza
wrote this:-

i have a wall switch that turns on the light when it gets dark and
turns it off after several hours. are there energy-saving bulbs that
would work with this kind of switch?

Depends on how the switch works. If it has a neutral connection then
all should. However, if it doesn't have a neutral connection then it
works by passing a small current through the lamp. This can't be
seen with a filament bulb ass it doesn't make the filament hot
enough. With a CFL it may make the lamp flash occasionally, with a
LED it shouldn't do anything.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

On 30/08/2009 18:32, ernie mendoza wrote:
i have a wall switch that turns on the light when it gets dark and
turns it off after several hours. are there energy-saving bulbs that
would work with this kind of switch? the only low-energy bulbs in the
shops seem to be for dimmable switches.

I fitted one of these:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMFLA01.html

seems very expensive for what I assume is just a resistor, but it works
and is neat

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:24:01 +0100, Derek Geldard
wrote:


It's possible your automatic switch needs to be able to continuously
pass a small current to run it's electronics, IE has only 2 terminals
a live in and a live out. If this is so then you may get a problem
with some low energy lamps which pass zero current until they strike
and light up fully.

Not all switches are like this and similarly some lamps may pass
enough current anyway to operate the switch.

Will dimmable low-energy bulbs pass enough current to operate the
switch?

Without knowledge of which types you've got it's not possible to
advise further except to say if you do have this problem then the set
up can usually be made to work by wiring a very low wattage filament
lamp (Eg. a 15w night light) in parallel with the low energy lamp.
This will ensure a continuity of supply to the switch while the E/S
lamp is off.

As an alternative you can also buy low energy lamps with the dusk to
dawn function built in.

Yes, I saw these in the shops. Trouble is they will stay on all night
instead of switching off after a set number of hours.

Derek

ernie mendoza coughed up some electrons that declared:


Yes, I saw these in the shops. Trouble is they will stay on all night
instead of switching off after a set number of hours.


We really need to adopt some new wiring practises:

Take neutral via switch - that'll solve that problem.

Stop trying to dim lights by hacking the sine wave to bits (which worked
really well for a slow to react resistive load). Agree on a SINGLE control
signal and ship that to the light fitting. Lamp dims itself in whatever way
it sees fit. That would also reduce some of the EMI from wiring.

Talking of standards, why is it so hard to get a simple cheap table light
with a BC fitting...

Tim

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:44:46 +0100, Peter Watson wrote:

On 30/08/2009 18:32, ernie mendoza wrote:
i have a wall switch that turns on the light when it gets dark and
turns it off after several hours. are there energy-saving bulbs that
would work with this kind of switch? the only low-energy bulbs in the
shops seem to be for dimmable switches.

I fitted one of these:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMFLA01.html

seems very expensive for what I assume is just a resistor, but it works
and is neat


Almost certainly a class X capacitor. That way it doesn't dissipate much
heat, which a resistor would.

--
Mick (Working in a M$-free zone!)
Web: http://www.nascom.info
Filtering everything posted from googlegroups to kill spam.

On 31/08/2009 16:36, mick wrote:
On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:44:46 +0100, Peter Watson wrote:

On 30/08/2009 18:32, ernie mendoza wrote:
i have a wall switch that turns on the light when it gets dark and
turns it off after several hours. are there energy-saving bulbs that
would work with this kind of switch? the only low-energy bulbs in the
shops seem to be for dimmable switches.

I fitted one of these:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMFLA01.html

seems very expensive for what I assume is just a resistor, but it works
and is neat


Almost certainly a class X capacitor. That way it doesn't dissipate much
heat, which a resistor would.

Good point - Hangs head in shame