A customer has low v. lighting in her bathroom. Four of the lights were out. So I took one of the bulbs out and ohmed it out. It rang out. So the bulb is good right? Took a bulb from a existing one that worked, stuck it in and presto it worked. The bulb that wouldn't work said 12volt 50 watt. The one that did work said 12volt but I couldn't read the watts. So is the reason why the first bulb wouldn't work, because the wattage is to high? Or is ohming it out not telling me everything? P.S. Also the customer said they worked for a week or two, before they stopped working. Thank you for your help.
Low voltage indoor lighting questions
- Thread starter zappy
- Start date
- Status
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
As long as the voltage ratings match, the only difference a different wattage will have is a different current usage. Unless you overload the transformer, of course.
If you've tried the bad bulb in more than one fixture and it doesn't work, then I don't know why it "Ohm'ed out."
If you've tried the bad bulb in more than one fixture and it doesn't work, then I don't know why it "Ohm'ed out."
fishin' electrician
Senior Member
- Location
- Connecticut
Some electronic low voltage transformers have a minimum wattage. Is it possible the lamp you removed was the only good one left as is only 20W?
What would happen if you overloaded the transformer? Does it have some type of thermal overload?
Ohmy
Senior Member
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
Did you try the bulb again. Maybe the filament was loose. Many times its the sockets that are bad on LV lights. Sometimes just pushing on the bulb will make it come on. Check the sockets.
Article 90.1
Senior Member
Many of those LV fixtures like you mention are extremely poorly designed. They are my worst nightmare, because when you can't make them work, it makes you look incompetent. Some of these fixtures need to be bumped just right to get them to work, I'm referring to the ones where the metal of the fixture itself is the neutral conductor.
Yep, hard to win on a service call for these fixtures!
Yep, hard to win on a service call for these fixtures!
- Status