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The following page was printed from RemoteCentral.com:
| Topic: | Dimming Halogens This thread has 33 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15. |
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| Post 1 made on Tuesday March 12, 2002 at 22:37 |
robramm Founding Member |
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Posts: | January 2002
27 |
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Is there any way to dim 12 v halogens with x-10?
...rob
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| Post 2 made on Wednesday March 13, 2002 at 09:05 |
Larry Fine Loyal Member |
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Posts: | August 2001
5,002 |
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| OP | Post 3 made on Wednesday March 13, 2002 at 19:47 |
robramm Founding Member |
Joined:
Posts: | January 2002
27 |
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So will the pcs switch control the 120v power supply that provides the 12V for the lights, or do I put the switch at the 12v side. The power suppy I want to use is one that you would use to power a car radio on a bench. 120ac-12dc 3 amp
...Rob
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| Post 4 made on Wednesday March 13, 2002 at 22:17 |
Bill E. Founding Member |
Joined:
Posts: | July 2001
947 |
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No problem as long as the transformer is a magnetic type (wire wrapped around a coil) If it is a electronic type (little circuit board) your dimmer will fry (I know this for sure). Although it has been reported on this forum that some users have had luck dimming a electronic transformer with a PCS, every time I have seen it done I am sending the switch in for repair. Bill www.homeautomationnet.com
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| Post 5 made on Wednesday March 13, 2002 at 22:28 |
Larry Fine Loyal Member |
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Posts: | August 2001
5,002 |
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Rob, you would use it on the 120V. input. However, if the power supply has voltage regulation, it won't work. The power supply will try to maintain the 13.8V. output until the voltage coming from the transformer drops too much, then it will plop down to nothing. It shouldn't hurt anything to try, but don't keep your hopes up. A sure fix would be to use just the transformer alone. Open the supply and find the wires that go from the transformer to the rectifier(s). The halogens will work fine on A.C. Larry www.fineelectricco.com
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| Post 6 made on Thursday March 14, 2002 at 12:47 |
loran w richardson Founding Member |
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Posts: | January 2002
8 |
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Rob,
Your 12V power supply isn't going to do a lot for you at just 3 amps. Even if you pull the regulator out and just use the transformer, that 3 amp rating on the secondary coil is gonna fry if you are trying to light more than one lamp. 3 amps * 12 Volts = 36 watts
loran
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| Post 7 made on Thursday March 14, 2002 at 19:59 |
Larry Fine Loyal Member |
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Posts: | August 2001
5,002 |
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MY bad! I missed the 3-amp reference. Oops! Loran is quite correct; W = A * V. Total the wattage of the 12V. bulbs, add 10% for good measure, and divide by 12. That will give you the necessary current capacity of the transformer. Also, keep in mind that transformers (assuming 100% efficiency) transfer the power unchanged, so the total wattage of the load also must not exceed that of the dimmer. I'd recommend keeping the power supply intact, and buy a transformer that is suitable, or combine several if you find a better wattage/$ buy. Larry www.fineelectricco.com
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| Post 8 made on Friday March 15, 2002 at 08:02 |
David Dryden Founding Member |
Joined:
Posts: | October 2001
88 |
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I'll share an idea that I have used with good results. Try an outdoor low voltage transformer. They can be bought just about anywhere and in a variety of sizes (80 to >500 watts) to suit your needs. You can hide them in the attic, or inside a cabinet. Also, since they're ready to use "as-is", you don't have to worry about exposed 120v wiring. Plug and play!
David
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| Post 9 made on Wednesday March 27, 2002 at 07:42 |
eah Founding Member |
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Posts: | March 2002
28 |
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I have used smarthomes switch 2384 and also 2205 to dim Emerald 12 v halogens; which according to other reports on this site note it to have a magnetic transformer (which I can attest is true as a took apart one of the halogen heads and noted the coil). I have some other 12 v lighting from WESTEK (HOME DEPOT)which also has a small plastic transformer. The package and the transformer notes that it is dimmable, and WESTEK sells addition components to perform this (button plus a black box) however that would not give me the remote capability nor the smooth dimminging as the stoe display functions with 3 descretedim settings. What are peoples thoughts on using dimmable X-10 wall switch as the 2384 or the 2205 with the basic WESTEK package ???
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| Post 10 made on Monday April 1, 2002 at 07:45 |
eah Founding Member |
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Posts: | March 2002
28 |
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On 03/15/02 08:02.53, David Dryden said...
I'll share an idea that I have used with good
results. Try an outdoor low voltage transformer.
They can be bought just about anywhere and in
a variety of sizes (80 to >500 watts) to suit
your needs. You can hide them in the attic, or
inside a cabinet. Also, since they're ready to
use "as-is", you don't have to worry about exposed
120v wiring. Plug and play!
David DAVE WHAT MAKE OUTDOOR TRANSORMER DID YOU BUY AND HOW DID YOU CONFIRM IT WAS MAGNETIC, HOME DEPOT HAS MALIBU BUT WHEN I ASKED VARIOUS PEOPLE THERE I RECEIVED BLANK STARES
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| Post 11 made on Monday April 1, 2002 at 20:21 |
David Dryden Founding Member |
Joined:
Posts: | October 2001
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Yeah, I suspect unless Larry Fine is moonlighting at your Home Depot, you'd get that sort of response! I used a Malibu. It's literally a good, old-fashioned "transformer". In my experience, all of the outdoor low voltage lighting transformers are simple, iron-core "magnetic" transformers. Stick with a Malibu and you should be OK.
David
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| Post 12 made on Tuesday April 2, 2002 at 01:07 |
Larry Fine Loyal Member |
Joined:
Posts: | August 2001
5,002 |
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Thanx for the complement, Dave. To be sure, outdoor lighting transformers are magnetic transformers. Just be sure you can disable the timer, i.e., keep it set to alwys be on. Larry www.fineelectricco.com
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| Post 13 made on Tuesday April 2, 2002 at 07:15 |
eah Founding Member |
Joined:
Posts: | March 2002
28 |
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Thanks, I'll get a transformer and try it out this weekend
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| Post 14 made on Tuesday April 2, 2002 at 09:24 |
Bill E. Founding Member |
Joined:
Posts: | July 2001
947 |
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If anybody was wondering what a magnetic transformer looks like, and where to get them inexpensivly check out [Link: aaaim.com] This used to be one of my favorite tow stores when I lived in California. Bill www.homeautomationnet.com
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| Post 15 made on Tuesday April 2, 2002 at 12:24 |
Larry Fine Loyal Member |
Joined:
Posts: | August 2001
5,002 |
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Cool company, Bill. Know of any other surplus companies? To anybody looking for a transformer from this place, I'd look at #TR9900, 12V./30A. This is rated for 360 watts. (12 x 30 = 360) For the truly power-monsters, look at #TR2152, 12V./166A. This is good for 2KW! (12 x 166 = 1992) Larry www.fineelectricco.com
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