Dimmers, Timers and CFLs

[Paul-man]

Have just moved into a house where the previous occupants have installed dimmers almost everywhere and hence barely an energy saving bulb in sight.

Some of these we are happy to replace with standard switches and use basic CFLs. However, there are a couple of rooms where we would consider retaining the dimmers and spending £10+/bulb on the new style dimmable energy saving bulbs. I suppose whether this costs in long term depends on how long we use the lights each day, but assuming average usage, is this worth doing?

One of the main rooms in question is the lounge where we have a 5 bulb ceiling fitting we want to install- we currently have 5 x 8w energy saving candle bulbs in it. The room as 2 switches, a push on-off-turn to dim switch and a standard 2 way switch - what would happen if I installed the fitting but left the energy savers in? would they blow or would it be unsafe? or just not dim?

Also timers- we have a couple of lamps we use with timers for security. The timers say don't use energy saving bulbs- is there a safety concern with this? We've tried it once, while we were home, and it appeared to switch on and off ok, so why shouldn't we use an energy saving bulb?

 

[bongos]

I suppose whether this costs in long term depends on how long we use the lights each day, but assuming average usage, is this worth doing?

What's average use?

The room as 2 switches, a push on-off-turn to dim switch and a standard 2 way switch - what would happen if I installed the fitting but left the energy savers in? would they blow or would it be unsafe? or just not dim?

If you just used the push on/off part of the switch then it would work fine. I think if you started using the dimmer on non-dimmable cfl's then it could damage the cfl and/or the dimmer.

The timers say don't use energy saving bulbs- is there a safety concern with this? We've tried it once, while we were home, and it appeared to switch on and off ok, so why shouldn't we use an energy saving bulb?

Some timers only want to switch resitive loads and won't do inductive loads (ie- CFL's). The timer I have just bought will allow 13A resisitive or 2A inductive. Yours may or may not be the same. I might be inclined to use it and see how it gets on. An 8w CFL lamp shouldn't cause too many problems...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you just used the push on/off part of the switch then it would work fine. I think if you started using the dimmer on non-dimmable cfl's then it could damage the cfl and/or the dimmer.

Hard not to use it, as in effect the switch part is in series with the dimmer part.

Paul - you can get dimmable CFLs, but not in all formats, and they don't work with all dimmers. I've tried a couple of GLS replacement ones - a Megaman and a Varlight, but both pulsated, which I guess is because of the dimmer I'm using, so I've put them away until I change that. One also had a slightly green tinge to the light, but I can't remember which.

I might be inclined to use it and see how it gets on. An 8w CFL lamp shouldn't cause too many problems...

Yeah - SIAS, unless it's a very expensive timer. I've had 3 CFLs on a photo switch that's not supposed to be used for CFLs for a couple of years now - lamps and switch are fine.

 

[davelx]

I have tried Varilight and Megaman dimmable CFLs and found the Varilight to be better. To avoid flickering/pulsing you do need to meet the minimum load requirement of the dimmer - so replacing a 100W incandescent lamp with a 20W Varilight Dimmerable where the dimmer has a load rating of, say, 40-250W, is not going to work well, if at all. Varilight make special dimmers with a 20W minimum load for CFLs.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I had the minimum load as there was a 60W incandescent with each CFL as well. But they are pretty cheap unbranded shed dimmers from 20-odd years ago...