Residential Dimmers

[LarryFine]

I think that would be a dumb rule since a dimmer does not save electricity. All the dimmer does is chop the 60Hz wave form. The rest of the load will be at the hot dimmer. When heat is present, energy is used.

Au contraire! While a variable resistor would save less energy than a dimmer, even it would still save some. If the total load-and-dimmer amperage drops, some energy is saved.

The more heat at the dimmer, the lower the percentage of the total energy used that will go towards producing light, but less total energy will be used. Same with a smaller bulb.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I think its great that calif is leading the way in green, and I applaud them for that. if my wife keeps leaving lights on I will have occu sensors on all the ckts here sooner or later (I finally put one on the laundry room after the light was left on for over a year. I think the kitchen is next) (I haven't been able to tell if the cats appreciate having their own automatic light when they go to the bathroom)

We're leaders alright, we had surfers long before Nevada and we have way more earthquakes than Florida, but as far as codes go, we almost stayed on the 2002 code because they were going to adopt the NEC 5000 for the building code and it raised all kinds of stink. I also believe that we are one of only three states that still have not adopted the 2008 NEC and if when we do it will be in 2010.:roll: