Energy saving lightbulbs - use with dimmer switch?

debtfreein4years

Hiya

new to the site and was wondering if i can use energy saving lightbulbs in lights that have dimmer switches (living room and bedroom) for some reason i dont think you can although I have no idea why I am thinking this.

If I cant I think I will ask my dad to change the light switches so that they are not dimmers.

thanks

Gxx

oldwiring

It seems they can't! This site gives useful info.
.http://www.bettergeneration.co.uk/efficient-appliances/energy-saving-light-bulbs-how-they-work.html

It's going to be a big problem in a few years as EU seems intent in banning normal bulbs.What's going to happen to pps 5 point lounge ceiling lights :eek:?

Premier_2

You need dimmable ones - they will specify they are suitable for use with dimmer switches

e.g.
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsessionid=41WJF5SMPT5YWCSTHZOCFFI?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=59891-95&searchbutton.x=7&searchbutton.y=8

debtfreein4years

WOW not paying that price. Ive got a cupboard full of energy saving light bulbs (used to work in a newsagents and no one claimed the free ones that were given away with the sun). Think it will be cheaper to just get my dad to change the switch.

thanks for the info though

gxx

reactor_3

debtfreein4years wrote: »

Hiya

new to the site and was wondering if i can use energy saving lightbulbs in lights that have dimmer switches (living room and bedroom) for some reason i dont think you can although I have no idea why I am thinking this.

If I cant I think I will ask my dad to change the light switches so that they are not dimmers.

thanks

Gxx

I think basically in energy saving light bulbs, the light needs to 'jump' from one end to the other and if it does not have enough energy to make this jump you get no light at all. Once it has made that jump there is not much margin for dimming, it's either on or off

From wikipedia

"Fluorescent light fixtures cannot be connected to the same dimmer switch used for incandescent lamps. Two effects are responsible for this: the waveshape of the voltage emitted by a standard phase-control dimmer interacts badly with many ballasts, and it becomes difficult to sustain an arc in the fluorescent tube at low power levels. Dimming installations require 4-pin fluorescent lamps and compatible dimming ballasts for successful fluorescent dimming. These systems keep the cathodes of the fluorescent tube fully heated even as the arc current is reduced, promoting easy thermionic emission of electrons into the arc stream. CFLs are available that work in a dimmer circuit."

Also (rather complicted stuff - be warned :rotfl: )

http://home.howstuffworks.com/dimmer-switch.htm

Having said all that energy saving light bulbs are dim enough to start with so
I don't know why anyone would want to dim them further :rotfl: