Screw in Compact Fluorescent Dimmable

[ed downey]

Does anyone have any experience with the screw in type dimmable compact fluorescent lamps.

I have a hospital that is starting to change out all of their existing incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps. They are having troubles with the dimming compact fluorescent lamps either flickering or shutting off.

I told them I would attribute it to cheap dimming ballasts in the screw in compact fluorescent lamps. I wanted to do a little research on the subject. So any thoughts or where to look up some research would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ed

 

[ultramegabob]

I had a voltage drop issue in a mini warehouse unit at the far end of thier property, it only affected the one building, I removed the H.I.D. ballast and installed a dimmable compact just so they had some light above a door, it was alot cheaper than cutting pavement and running larger wire. It has been working for a couple years now.


edit- the brand I used was G.E.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Does anyone have any experience with the screw in type dimmable compact fluorescent lamps.

I have a hospital that is starting to change out all of their existing incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps. They are having troubles with the dimming compact fluorescent lamps either flickering or shutting off.




Don't you need a different type of dimmer ? Or a newer one.

 

[brantmacga]

dimmable CFL's are notoriously non-dimmable. CCFL's work great for dimming, but light output is extremely low. There are a couple of CFL manufacturer's who will be releasing their own dimmers later this year, saying the current dimmer technology is to blame for the problems. TCP is one of the CFL manufacturers releasing its own dimmer.

 

[Rampage_Rick]

dimmable CFL's are notoriously non-dimmable. CCFL's work great for dimming, but light output is extremely low. There are a couple of CFL manufacturer's who will be releasing their own dimmers later this year, saying the current dimmer technology is to blame for the problems. TCP is one of the CFL manufacturers releasing its own dimmer.

I was having no end of problems with Globe-brand dimmable CFLs. (16 in total) Swapping the Lutron Skylark dimmers for Lutron ELV Skylark dimmers made all the difference in the world. Ever since I've been happy.

 

[ItsHot]

kinks

kinks

The few times I have dealt with dimmable cfl's were a headache. As Brant mentioned in his post, the kinks are not yet worked out with this problem.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Lutron has stated that they are not able to totally dim a dimmable CFL. They cannot seem to be able to control the lower end of the dimming spectrum. It works fine on the upper end but then starts to flicker as you lower it.

 

[ed downey]

Regarding Lutron that is pretty odd that they say they cannot get it right since they claim to be able to dim to 1% using the Lutron Hi-Lume ballast.

-Ed

 

[steve66]

Regarding Lutron that is pretty odd that they say they cannot get it right since they claim to be able to dim to 1% using the Lutron Hi-Lume ballast.

-Ed

I guess the "lower end" is under 1%.

1% light output doesn't look like 1% since your eye responds to light in a non-linear fashion.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Regarding Lutron that is pretty odd that they say they cannot get it right since they claim to be able to dim to 1% using the Lutron Hi-Lume ballast.

-Ed

I am just stating what the rep told me and trust me when I say they are trying to do it.

Met a lighting consultant and he also says that dimmable CFLs are perfected yet.

A PLC (pin fluorescent) can be dimmed but not the CFL's.