Low voltage halogen downlighters and dimmers...

[TheGaffersSon]

I have a row of 5 downlighters, each with a dedicated transformer and a 1-way switch. I am going to add a second switch to make it to way across my bedroom, but is it possible to have dimmer switches?

Do the spots need to be 240V ?

Thanks as always.

 

[breezer]

no but you need a master and slave dimmer that can handle the inductive load of the transformers.

You could also opt for a remote control / touch dimmer

 

[TheGaffersSon]

no but you need a master and slave dimmer that can handle the inductive load of the transformers.

You could also opt for a remote control / touch dimmer

Do you have a link to a suppliers so I can take a look please, I can't find them on Screwfix.

What are the connections for the master / slave dimmer?

 

[TheGaffersSon]

Would this do?

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=58940&ts=71037

 

[breezer]

connections cause a lot of grief there was a spate of problems on here, i have no idea how they go off the top of my head though.

try google or tlc

 

[TheGaffersSon]

connections cause a lot of grief there was a spate of problems on here, i have no idea how they go off the top of my head though.

try google or tlc

So to have a remote control dimmer I would need a switch like this one:
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...iring_Accessories~Dimmers_5_Chrome/index.html

linked with a slave unit?

What is a slave unit, is it another dimmer switch or something totally different or what?

And would this be OK for LV lighting?

Really appreciate the help by the way.

 

[Steve]

slave switch simply controls the first switch - you can have as many slaves as you like IIRC. Just need 3+E to link them together.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

Yer sorry I was being blind I found the slave dimmers.

So is this kit with remote control definetely faesible with 5 LV halogen lamps?

 

[RF Lighting]

Yep

I have 6no. 50W ELV downlighters running of mine with no trouble.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

So does the slave replace another switch, or is it additional?

The room is a loft conversion, so there is already a two way (stairs)

I will make the second switch as it is, an intermediate, and feed the new switch from there.

So do I need a two way switch, a dimmer, an intermediate switch and a slave?

 

[RF Lighting]

If you are planning on having three way switching then you should wire the lights as a standard one way circuit to the master dimmer.

You then connect as many or few slave units as you require to the master switch using three core and earth.

The slaves are wired in parallel and can be wired in star or daisy chain fashion.

(you cannot utilise the existing wiring if you have only a twin between switches as the strappers)

 

[TheGaffersSon]

A quick sketch:

What I have

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/729/currentzx5.jpg

What I want:

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/2995/targetxt1.jpg

Cheers, hope I can get sorted!