Dimming LV garden lighting

[martinxxxxxx]

You could use one of these on the ELV side

But I think you'll agree it is not ideal or weatherproof

 

[ericmark]

Agreed... but this is a transformer with a moulded plug mounted indoors powering some lights..... just like Christmas lights!!

Where do draw the eline??

The line is drawn on the fixing of items. Even a cable cleat can be considered as fixing. So if you run the cable in through the cat flap and plug in that's may be OK. But drill a hole and remove and re-fit the plug to thread cable through hole and it's fixed so needs notifying under Part P.

As to dimming the whole idea of a quartz halogen lamp is to maintain the envelope at a high temperature so the tungsten will not re-deposit itself on the quartz envelope. The idea of extra low voltage helps by having a thicker element and the inverter (often called a transformer) maintains the voltage to much finer limits than with low voltage version. They are not as a result really suitable lamps for dimming. Although some inverters can be controlled by a dedicated dimming unit this reduces the lamp life. But even if your not worried about lamp life the inverter and dimmer need to be matched.

 

[233sqn]

[quote If this is a plug in transformer, how do you plan to put a dimmer in-between the transformer and the supply?

It's not a plug in transformer per se.... it's a transformer with a flying lead and a 3 pin plug..... with an output to the ELV lights.

But anyway......I'll just experiment with lower wattage bulbs as suggested (as long as Ban all Sheds doesn't lie awake all night worrying about an amatuer changing bulbs !!)

 

[Taylortwocities]

Agreed... but this is a transformer with a moulded plug

That's a very confusing description, then. You made it sound like a "wall wart".

I would install it as it is supplied and then worry about dimmers, different bulbs, etc etc.