I recently installed a low voltage lighting system; 12 v, 500w total load...not counting load of the transformer, controlled by a 1000w dimmer. We've noticed the dimmer is hot to the touch...uncomfortably so. I can tell that this level of heat is unacceptable and I will probably take the dimmer out of the circuit. Why is this thing getting so hot? We have it set at the brightest level.

I once had an outlet that got hot to the touch. It was under my house, eventually shorted and turned my lights off. The electrician said it could easily have set fire to my house.

Call for help immediately.

Catty (who has been married to two electricians and respects that stuff to the max)

Unless specifically designed for Low voltage transformers and/or florescent lighting ballast, you can not use a dimmer of any wattage.

Now, with that said, if you using the right dimmer for the right job, then it MAY get WARM as a fuction of it's operation. How warm, you ask? It is very hard for me to sit here in Cleveland Ohio and answer that question.

When in doubt, call a licensed electrician. He would able better to check out your system then anyone on this site.

Hope this helps.

Exactly. You may be able to call the union hiring hall (if there is still such a thing!) and get a downtown guy (one who works on residential wiring instead of transmission lines, etc.) to come out to you. Look for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 103 or whatever.

This may be cheaper than calling some electric company as they will take their cut, but either way, it's going to cost you. You want a journeyman, of course, and they make probably $20-$30 per hour for this work. Understand, I'm maybe behind the times a little.

Catty (and don't touch it in the meantime!)

cindycat:

Why would you want a 1000-watt dimmer on a
12-volt system? The lights are barely noticeable as it is without dimming them.

Take the Dimmer out of the circuit. You do not need it.

In regards to the Dimmer switch, a lot of the problems that arise in using them is determined by the way it is installed in the circuit.

However the fact remains, you have a 1000-watt dimmer with a total load of 500-watts. No problem should be evident from it, however, I would still say to NOT use it.

[This message was edited by donaldekliros on 11-21-02 at 10:36 AM.]