Question about dimmer switches

Abbafan1972

We need to buy a new dimmer switch for the bedroom and am confused about which one to buy.

We have one light fitting which has 3 bulbs in it, which are no more than 40W each.

We have looked at screwfix and want to make sure we're buying the right one. Here is a link to one with a picture of the back.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-1-gang-2-way-push-dimmer-switch-400w-polished-white/88654

I have taken a picture of the back of the one we have (I had to rotate the picture, as the dimmer switch was actually on upside down!). Notice our old one has a picture of a lightbulb and says "3". But I can't find one on screwfix that says this.

Here is the photo of our old one.....



Thanks in advance.

Ruski

Not quite sure what you're asking to be honest! 3 is simply the terminal number, and they vary from brand to brand.


If you have a simple one way (i.e. only 1 light switch) then any standard (cheaper than the one you've looked at) will be fine.


HTH


Russ

SailorSam

I'm not sure what you're asking either, but the thing to bare in mind when you've got dimmer switches is, what sort of bulbs are you using.
I've got dimmer switches and i know when we did away with the old style filament bulbs, for the low energy ones they couldn't dim. I read on here a while back that there's a new second generation of low energy bulbs that will diim. But make sure you ask for them to get the right thing. As you'd expect they're more expensive than the standard bulbs.

chris1973

A standard single (single gang) dimmer switch with a load rating of 60 - 400w is what you need if you are intent on replacing like for like.

Since you say your three lamps are under 40w, (total load under 120w) then you could also use a 40w - 250w or 60w - 250w dimmer switch also.

Don't be tempted to use standard low energy fluorescent lamps (Dimmer compatible versions cost a fortune) in a fitting with a dimmer switch, at best they will flicker and you will lose the dimmer action, at worst they will burn either themselves or the dimmer switch out.

LED lamps, probably won't give you the 60w minimum load you need for the dimmer to work correctly. Those two wattages (60 - 400) printed on the dimmer switch are there for a reason, 60w is the minimum connected load, 400w is the maximum load, suffice to say if at any point the minimum load drops far enough below 60w, then it won't function correctly.

So my advice is, if you intend to continue to use standard filament bulbs in the future, then fit a new dimmer, or if you are considering replacing the lamps with LED types, then either fit a standard single gang switch, or a dimmer which is LED compatible (often called trailing edge dimmer switches)

Myser

If you want to keep the existing faceplate, it is possible to just buy a dimmer module and retrofit it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aurora-Cross-Dimmer-Retrofit-Module/dp/B00C14MXXK

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Varilight/IQ_Dimmer_Modules/

Abbafan1972

Thanks for the replies.

We need to change the whole switch as the knob has broken off the old one (we can still use it though), plus the old one is brass and we are changing it just for a white one, to fit with the new decor.

Ok, I thought it better to ask, so I don't want to appear thick or anything.

The bulbs - we don't use energy saving ones as I hate them, they look stupid and probably won't fit in the light anyway. We currently have the old style pearl candle ones in there, but as these ones go, we are replacing them with the halogen style ones, which I know are dimmable.

Thanks.