V.P.(formerly known as Vick’s Picks) Taking Control

Happy New Year! Let’s hope this year is happier for all of us. One way of being able to make that happen is by taking control. The control I’m talking about here has to do with…you guessed it… lighting. Let me start by saying that not all light sources can be controlled (dimmed). So, I’m going to focus on those that can. (Otherwise, I’ll have to come up with a whole different topic.) Of all the sources of light, incandescent is the cheapest and easiest source to dim. If you have a standard socket (also called a medium base socket, Edison base or E26) and have a regular incandescent bulb (lamp) in the socket, its dimmable. Your existing on/off wall switch can be replaced with a dimmer and now you control the level of light you want for the given task at hand. Dimming not only saves electricity it also lengthens the life of the bulb. (That’s almost as good as a Groupon.) According to Lutron (a lighting control company) just dimming the light 10%, makes the bulb last 2 times longer. Dim it 50% and the bulb will last 20 times longer.

Halogens (another type of incandescent) are dimmable too. The trick here is knowing whether or not the fixture (and its corresponding bulb) is line voltage (regular electrical current) or low voltage (requires a transformer). If there is no transformer involved, you’re in luck. The same dimmer that is used for regular incandescent can be used for these types of halogens too. If your halogen fixture requires a transformer, then it gets a little trickier. Now you have to figure out if the transformer is magnetic or electronic. In general, magnetic transformers are heavier and larger than electronic transformers. If your fixture is light-weight and the weight seems evenly distributed, more than likely, your fixture is electronic. Therefore, to dim low voltage bulbs (lamps), purchase a low voltage magnetic dimmer or low voltage electronic dimmer. Low voltage dimmers are more expensive than standard incandescent dimmers. Expect to pay around $100.00 + for a good low voltage electronic dimmer switch.

Standard rotary dimmer by Lutron. OK, but not

as snazzy as the dimmer below.

One of my favorite dimmers by Lutron. The large paddle is the on/off portion just like a regular on/off switch. The tiny slide bar on the right side of the switch is the dimming mechanism. Slide the bar to where you want it and the next time you turn the switch on, the light level will be the same as where you left it.

Note: if your dimmer is not compatible with the source of light you are trying to dim, there will be a loud audible hum or buzz coming from the dimmer switch. Simply replace the switch with an on/off only (boring) or find out what dimmer is compatible with your source of light (preferred).

Next up, cool dimmers . . .

Vicky M. Lodge, Allied Member ASID