Dimmer no longer dimming

[Sponge]

I recently replaced a normal on/off switch with a dimmer. One of these.

At first it worked fine. The mains halogen bulb dimmed as I would expect. But the other day it stopped dimming all the way.

It used to dim all the way to nearly off, but now it just dims the smallest amount; hardly noticeable.

I changed the bulb and the issue remains.

Is it a faulty dimmer switch?

 

[knowall]

Hi, just check you have the minimum load that the dimmer will operate with, you may be under loading it.

If you overload it,it will go into 'protect ' mode.

Regards,

KA[/b]

 

[Iggifer]

The overload characteristics for that dimmer are not what the OP is describing, and with a minimum load of 40w and at least one halogen lamp in place, its unlikely to be under-loaded.

Sponge, how many lamps & what wattage are you dimming? If you're between 40-400w then yes, sounds like a faulty dimmer.

 

[phatboy]

Did a bulb blow since you fitted it? With halogen GU10's, I have found sometimes when they blow they take the dimmer module with them, and so they cease dimming.

 

[Sponge]

It's just the one lamp, from a single cord in the centre of the room. It's a 42W bulb. I have tried another bulb, with the same results. There have been no bulb failures.

Something else has started happening now...

The dimmer is back to back with the switch that controls the rear 'dining room'. At the moment, it's a through-lounge and I can stand in the space between rooms and turn the light on/off for each. If I turn the light on (dimmer operated) in the front room, then sometimes (it doesn't happen all the time), turning the light on/off in the rear room interupts the power to the front room. It's as if someone has briefly turned it off, then on again.

 

[Iggifer]

You're awfully close to the minimum load of the dimmer, I know you're technically over the min load but some dimmers can behave strangely.

I would possibly try a dimmer designed for lower loads,