Adjust dimmer switch range / make it like a switch

[lms78]

Hi

I have bought a BG 3-gang dimmer and wanted to get 2 of the switches to act as normal switches (as they control non-dimmable lights).

I have previously bought one where there were dials that made this very easy as per the the picture of the back of the switch in the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BG-Electrical-NBS83P-Triple-Brushed/dp/B007CVCV5W?th=1

However, the one I have just bought on line doesn't have these dials and looks like the one shown in the link below:

BG Nexus Brushed Steel NBS83 3 Gang 3 Way 200W Dimmer Switch

WE WONT BE BEATEN ON PRICEWe regularly check our prices against our competitors, to ensure we can offer you the best deal possible.

www.electricpoint.com

I have not yet opened the switch as I want to return it if it is not possible to achieve my aim. It looks like the backs may clip off. If they do, is there easy access that can control the dimming range within?

The full product name is BG NBS83.

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

 

[ericmark]

I think I can see what you are talking about one (5-400 VA) has an adjustment the other (5-200 VA) does not however although the adjustment will set the minimum dimming not sure should be used with non dimming bulbs? These are designed to be used for non dimming lights, a simple on/off switch

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

not sure should be used with non dimming bulbs

I don't know - what do you think the waveform would look like on minimum dimming? Possibly a sine wave?

 

[ericmark]

I bought five smart switches, they are not dimming switches, but electronic on/off with no neutral. I am now down to two still in use, and I have had problems finding bulb/switch combinations which will switch off fully and have no shimmer.

I admit I don't know what causes the shimmer, I can hear a relay switching so not a solid state relay, however it must have some circuity in series with the output to get the power to work the switch, is says minimum load 5 watt.

Using a standard BA22d 15 watt LED is no problem, it was a small problem using three 5 watt GU10 LED's but swapping bulbs around did cure it, however the G9 bulbs caused a problem I seemed at first to be unable to solve. The lamp came with five of these bulbs I tried fitting a load capacitor which did stop them staying on dim, but the shimmer was a real problem, fit one quartz halogen bulb and the shimmer stopped, but whole idea was to stop using quartz bulbs, tried different make of bulbs, using the compatibility chart but only one bulb listed, a Philips 2.3 watt which is smaller than 5 watt anyway, but still the shimmer.

My wife who uses internet more than me got five of these which are too big to fit the covers which were required with quartz lamps, so I had not thought she would accept them, they break the rules, as no wattage or lumen marked on the bulb, but no flicker, within a day one had failed so sent for four more, when they arrived I opened the failed bulb to see what was inside it, there was a capacitor to limit current, a full wave rectifier, across the output was a large electrolyte capacitor clearly reason why no flicker nearly as big as the smaller bulb, and a leak resistor.

I would guess around 6 watt each, and when I opened the failed one found a dry joint which I fixed reassembled it, and put it back into service, now been running at least two years, and not used any of the four spares.

I still use the smart switches in the bedrooms as the remote controls work well to turn on/off when in bed, but for rest of house moved to smart bulbs, as when the switches did go wrong to go outside and down to the flat to isolate the supply was a real pain, far easier to simply change the bulb.

As to why they shimmer no idea, it is clearly both the switch and the bulb at fault, some reaction between them, but the switches also seemed to have a fault which would stop switching on or off, and they needed rebooting every so often, tried removing bulbs but that did not work, had to turn the RCBO off/on.

I know what happened, but can't really say why it happened, so if a simple on/off switch will do the job, why use an electronic switch or dimmer?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

You could be right. I got the impression that the OP had tried this before. It might be better if matching on/off switch mechanisms were available from BG to replace the ones not needed, but I never use dimmers anyway so don't have any knowledge of that.

 

[ericmark]

I dim cabinet lights, normally set to pink to show off items on display, but main room lights are either on or off. The cabinet lights if working that end of room I will set to white and turn them up. They double as room lighting when we use that end of room.

In the 80's we really went into dimming switches, in our late 20's early 30's we wanted to show off with latest technology, like most young people, however lost count of how many times a bulb would blow with ionisation (bright flash) and take out the dimmer, so when the compact fluorescent came along the dimming switch went out.

I noted other countries using the 1/3 and 2/3 split, giving three levels of lighting, but to rewire for that was too much like hard work, think my office was last room with dimming switch, and as LED's replaced CFL's the smart bulb had hit the scene, which allows the colour to be varied giving a better ambiance, so in the main went to smart bulbs.

But my living room main light normally has 8 bulbs, so using smart bulbs becomes expensive, I think 6 bulbs in dinning room and they both have same plug in ceiling rose so can swap the whole lamp in minutes, not that I have done.

I have used a relay in landing light, split 4/5 and 1/5, and centre bulb colour changing, idea was centre bulb could be used when going to toilet as would not wake others, but that may be been idea, but I hear my wife say "hey google turn on landing lights" she never seems to use just the centre lamp, so don't know why I bothered?

My gripe is so many apps, every make of bulb seems to use a different app, OK google home will work all the devices in a basic way, but to dim outside lights needs the bulbs own app. So some are on switches, not as yet fitted smart bulbs, some use plug in smart switches, some use smart bulbs, and I sit in the car as we approach home (assuming she is driving) and try and switch on all outside lights.

I am sure they can be set for geofencing, but at 72 I am finding some of the smart controls a little daunting. Although still used google Nest Min to remind me how to spell daunting. Wife younger than me, she has got into voice commands far better than me, she is only 69 though, easier it seems for younger generation.

 

[flameport]

(as they control non-dimmable lights).

Connecting non-dimmable lights to any dimmer will result in failures, regardless of any adjustment that the dimemr might have.

The solution is to replace the dimmer modules with switch only modules.

BG DMSW8A/2W 8A Push Dummy Dimmer Module

BG Dummy Dimmer

www.gil-lec.co.uk