dimmers and meters
 

On Sep 14, 11:36*am, "Max Demian" wrote:
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in ...

In article ,
* Max Demian wrote:
I've got a weird light switch with a sliding panel with controls
underneath - I think it's to turn the light on and off to confuse
burglars - I've no idea how or whether it works but I've only found one
kind of CFL that works with it - the others flicker continuously when
the light is turned off. Weird. I'll probably have to replace the CFL
with an incandescent one when it fails.

Many of this type of switch rely on getting the neutral for their
electronics via the load. Since few switches have a neutral available. And
CFLs don't provide the correct sort of load to supply this.

Thank you. That makes it (slightly) clearer.

Easily solvable.
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ional_flashing


NT

dimmers and meters
 

"NT" wrote in message
...
On Sep 14, 11:36 am, "Max Demian" wrote:
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in
...

In article ,
Max Demian wrote:
I've got a weird light switch with a sliding panel with controls
underneath - I think it's to turn the light on and off to confuse
burglars - I've no idea how or whether it works but I've only found one
kind of CFL that works with it - the others flicker continuously when
the light is turned off. Weird. I'll probably have to replace the CFL
with an incandescent one when it fails.

Many of this type of switch rely on getting the neutral for their
electronics via the load. Since few switches have a neutral available.
And
CFLs don't provide the correct sort of load to supply this.

Thank you. That makes it (slightly) clearer.

Easily solvable.
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ional_flashing

Not sure I'd be happy wiring random resistors or capacitors across the
lampholder.

The CFL I'm using ATM is OK, and may last a few more years (as it claims to
last for 12 years).

--
Max Demian

dimmers and meters
 

In article ,
Max Demian wrote:
The CFL I'm using ATM is OK, and may last a few more years (as it claims
to last for 12 years).

Those claims are for lamps used under ideal conditions. May be much less
if used at the wrong angle or in a fitting or place where they can get
hotter, etc.
I bought a very expensive GE Gentura RO80 spot replacement for a heavy
use position. And sort of assumed any fitting designed for a 100 watt
incandescent would have enough cooling for a low energy type. And that
being a spot type lamp would be designed for use at any angle. But not so.
It lasted only slightly longer than a tungsten one. So a total waste of
money.
I have some outside CFLs which do last for the stated life. But obviously
run cooler than those indoors.

--
*There are two kinds of pedestrians... the quick and the dead.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

dimmers and meters
 

On 18/09/09 00:35, Max Demian wrote:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ional_flashing

Not sure I'd be happy wiring random resistors or capacitors across the
lampholder.

They're not random capacitors, class X2 are designed specifically for
such live to neutral use

http://my.execpc.com/~endlr/line-filter.html