Fans with CFLs

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btw, i just read your sig. the other day. .

Achtung!

Alles touristen und non-technishen looken peepers! Das machine is nicht fur der fingerpoken und mittengrabben. Is easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und popencorken mit spitzen sparken und flitzenflamen. Das machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur gerwerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen das cottenpiken hands in das pockets. Relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.

that's frickin hilarious
 
brantmacga said:
i think most dimmable cfl's will go down to about 20% of their full intensity, and most are supposed to work w/ regular dimmers. the CCFL's will dim on any incandescent/magnetic dimmer w/o any problems.

Lot's of things wil work even when done wrong. Is this right or wrong?
 
electricmanscott said:
Lot's of things wil work even when done wrong. Is this right or wrong?


sorry i don't understand the question. my post was saying that a cold-cathode compact fluorescent will work w/ no problems on a dimmer where as some dimmable compact fluorescents do not work properly.
 
electricmanscott said:
Is it right or wrong to use a dimmer listed for incandescent, or a dimmer listed for magnetic low voltage, to dim a compact fluorescent lamp?

It must be 'OK' ...... it works. :wink: :grin:



For myself I would not feel good about it unless the lamp maker said it was OK.
 
The lamp maker might say it's ok, but what about the dimmer maker?

I just don't see how there is any legal way to dim a CF lamp at this time. I may be wrong but I don't know that there is a dimmer made for that purpose.

Many low voltage fixture instructions say they are dimmable with standard incandescent dimmers. Why then do we need low voltage dimmers?
 
electricmanscott said:
Many low voltage fixture instructions say they are dimmable with standard incandescent dimmers. Why then do we need low voltage dimmers?

For the ones that can't be dimmed with a standard dimmer. (Not kidding)

Basically a ,modern standard dimer applies the power hard and trial it off.

If you look at the wave form on a scope it would be a straight line up to the peak then a gradual slope down. That works well enough for lamps but can torture a basic LV transformer.

An LV dimmer applies the power slow then dumps it of fast.

I am not describing it well but this pdf file (4 pages) does.

How a Dimmer Works
 
i gotcha scott. i would say unless specifically listed then it is not legal, but how many fixtures w/ cfl's installed are actually listed to have them?
 
brantmacga said:
i gotcha scott. i would say unless specifically listed then it is not legal, but how many fixtures w/ cfl's installed are actually listed to have them?
I don't know. Very seldom do you see a lamp type called out to only be used. A typical label would be "MAX 60 watt A-19 lamp". That doesn't preclude a 40 watt B lamp, for instance. I did put up some pendants in a bathroom recently that said "T-10 lamp only", in which case I would say that you can't rightfully use a CFL, unless they came in a T-10 jacket size.
 
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