dimmer fins

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mdshunk

Senior Member
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Most of the time it's stamped right on the dimmer's metal part. I think a 600 becomes a 400 with one side nipped off, and a 300 with both sides nipped off. I bet it varies somewhat from manufacturer to manufacturer. I use Lutron, most of the time.
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
mdshunk said:
Most of the time it's stamped right on the dimmer's metal part. I think a 600 becomes a 400 with one side nipped off, and a 300 with both sides nipped off. I bet it varies somewhat from manufacturer to manufacturer. I use Lutron, most of the time.
Why? ?

I know there's ton's of Electrician Tricks.

I've never heard of this!
I frankly thought this was just an applied application, 600 or 1000 Wattage dimmers.

With a 1000W dimmer sitting of a load of 800 watts needs to be snipped ?
Ok granted the post was lower watttage but gezz.

Wow, I'll have to read up on that this weekend.

Can I go home now, I've done learned something today, Wait i'm already at Home.

Darn, Thanks...
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
cadpoint said:
Why? ?

I've never heard of this!
:grin: :grin:

You need to break off one or both sides if you're installing most brands of dimmers in a ganged box with other dimmers or other "wide" devices. That's something to keep in mind when you're roughing in a house. If you NEED a 1000 watt capability, it might be best to have that dimmer in a box by itself off to the side a bit.
 

resistance

Senior Member
Location
WA
mdshunk said:
:grin: :grin:

You need to break off one or both sides if you're installing most brands of dimmers in a ganged box with other dimmers or other "wide" devices. That's something to keep in mind when you're roughing in a house. If you NEED a 1000 watt capability, it might be best to have that dimmer in a box by itself off to the side a bit.
Something I had to do just two days ago.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
This is what i am up against A church I am doing has 48 slope cans in a 40' x 50' area. I have 16 cans on 3 20 amp. circ. I had figured using 65 watt lamps, the church bought cans, trims and lamps. The lamps that arrived were 90 watt halogen. I installed 3 1500 watt 3 way dimmers. I questioned the 90 watt lamps and they spoke with the lady that sold them the cans " she said the 90 watt is what the can calls for" I cannot make them understand 90 watt is the MAX. rating of the can. The dimmers I have installed are getting to hot, after about one hour of running at half light the cover screw will burn your hand. I have all three ganged in one box. I am not going to eat these dimmers and replace with 2000 watt, I will probably replace lamps with 65 watt and they can be happy.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
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I'm curious to know what brand you found that makes a 1500 watt rated dimmer that has fins you can break off to gang them? Bigger than 1000W, I'm only familiar with the "heat sink" type, that you have to mount in a box by itself.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
mdshunk said:
I'm curious to know what brand you found that makes a 1500 watt rated dimmer that has fins you can break off to gang them? Bigger than 1000W, I'm only familiar with the "heat sink" type, that you have to mount in a box by itself.

My supply house got me p & s dimmers however I cannot find the ones I got on their web site
 

zdog

Senior Member
mdshunk said:
I'm curious to know what brand you found that makes a 1500 watt rated dimmer that has fins you can break off to gang them? Bigger than 1000W, I'm only familiar with the "heat sink" type, that you have to mount in a box by itself.
dang you beat me to it.was going to ask the same thing:D
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
We had 1500 and 2000 watt dimmers for our church that were mounted in a special cabinet behind the altar. As Marc mentioned, they were the heat sinc type and if they were mounted in std. JB's they would have had to be mounted by themselves. The cabinet they were mounted in is about 3' square and 6" deep so there's no problem with heat. However, since the church was built in 1985 they have never used the dimming feature for any of the lighting. As the dimmers started going bad and it came time to replace them the cost for each dimmer ranged from $80.00 to $125.00 (depending on what year they were purchased). Needless to say I finally convinced them to replace the dimmers with std. switches and we've been operating fine ever since.

I don't know that you'll be able to convince your church council to abandon the dimmer idea but sooner or later (especially after you start billing them for replacements) they'll come to the realization that dimmers in churches are a waste of $$.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
goldstar said:
I don't know that you'll be able to convince your church council to abandon the dimmer idea but sooner or later (especially after you start billing them for replacements) they'll come to the realization that dimmers in churches are a waste of $$.
Maybe at your church, but I find that dimmers to be a standard feature in most churches that I wire or do work in. Special services, like weddings, often have the lighting at different levels. The last church I wired had a 20,000 dollar theatrical type dimmer rack that was controlled by features of the mixing board in the sound room. I'm pretty sure they didn't spend those shekels if they weren't going to dim the lighting.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
ceb58 said:
I have all three ganged in one box. I am not going to eat these dimmers and replace with 2000 watt, I will probably replace lamps with 65 watt and they can be happy.
You should consider replacing this 3-gang box with three 2-gang boxes; then fitting adequate dimmers won't be a problem, and they'll run cooler.
 
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