We have 2 sets of lights in the main room downstairs, as two switches.
One switch is a double dimmer switch, one control is the sole control for the uplighters around the wall, the other is for the pendant light in the middle of the room, which also has a simple on/off switch on the far side of the room.
The uplighters had started to misbehave, occasionally dimming and brightening unbidden - the pendant light we very rarely use. I took off the dimmer switch to check the connections, all secure, but now the pendant light does not work at all (and yes, I have checked the bulbs), so it seems to me that it must be the double dimmer switch that has gone faulty, but before I replace it, can anybody suggest anything else to check out first ?
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It does sound like the dimmer is acting up.
I would fit an ordinary chesp 2 gang on/off switch in it's place just to see if the problem persists.
I would imagine a 2 gang dimmer is a fairly costly item.
Another way might be to fit the dimmer that you have, the other way round and see if the problem happens using the ' other ' side of it.
Ted
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not even sure if switched dimmers can be bought these days....
ISTR having a problem with one a while ago and couldn't find a replacement for it.
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I stopped using dimmers years ago - more trouble than they're worth.
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 17:31
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We have 2 chandeliers in the gaff, an 8 light jobbie of ours and a 15 light that was already fitted and neither us or the vendor wanted to disturb.
The one controlling the big one started to play up and i soon found out why when i removed it, it was rated for nowhere near enough wattage to cope and if turned up high would overheat and jam in the full position.
Had to go to a proper electical wholesaler and he ordered me a high capacity single dimmer for that, the usual DIY places didn't have anything suitable.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 17:46
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AJH - I think the issue is we are all supposed to be using compact fluorescent lights (as the mercury filled, slow to warm, dim things are properly called) and they don't work particularly well with dimmers
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>>(as the mercury filled, slow to warm, dim things are properly called)>>
Why not drag yourself up to date and buy instant on bright ones. :-)
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Hadn't thought of that Ted, but as I fitted the dimmer the original might well still be floating around in the garage somewhere. That's tomorrow sorted, then....
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Time for an upgrade ?
Fit a remote dimmer. tinyurl.com/33j48aw
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>> I think the issue is we are all supposed to be using compact fluorescent lights (as the mercury filled,
>> slow to warm, dim things are properly called) and they don't work particularly well with dimmers.
Thanks. That hadn't occured to me... D'oh!
Last edited by: AnotherJohnH on Sun 2 Jan 11 at 19:54
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Repeat suggestion of poster above, fit it the other way round and see if it all works.
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another question for electricians - Ted
