Lutron Dimmer and Bathroom Fan - lights flash.

[mathewg]

Electrician has wired in a Lutron single maser Rania dimmer (450w rated) that powers 5x35w downlighters and a bathroom tile fan which is also on a isolater switch. Before anyone asks the dimmer switch is not in the bathroom its on the landing wall.

When the dimmer is put on to almost full brightness and the fan running the lights begin to flash, lowering the dimmer to just over half way the lights are fine. Running the lights with the fan off via the isolater and the dimmer goes and works on full.

What is causing the issue? The lights are puling 175 watts, not sure what the fan is puling but surely it cant be over 250 watts.

Any ideas as the sparky has gone for the day.

Dimmer is:
http://tinyurl.com/7rx7tcq

Lights are:
http://tinyurl.com/7eykjmp

Fan is:
http://tinyurl.com/7nsmd3c

 

[riveralt]

No good us guessing - get the electrician back to fix it.

 

[mathewg]

No good us guessing - get the electrician back to fix it.

Problem was he was not sure either

 

[riveralt]

Then I would say get an 'electrician' back.
The are number of possibilities.
I take it the fan and lights are wired so that the dimmer controls both.
You could have wired the lights and fan in series.
There could a loose connection
I think you will find that extractor fans are not set up to be controlled by a dimmer switch.

 

[YorksSparks]

Simple answer - he's an idiot!

You can't run a fan from a Lutron Rania dimmer - it can't control a motor. I fit a lot of Ranias - have them all over my house too.

Get him back to either a) swap it for a non-dimmer switch to control both light and fan or b) separate fan and light wiring so you can run light from the Rania.

 

[RF Lighting]

Or chuck in a relay between the dimmer and the fan.