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fluorescent lamps

K

Kilowatt

Jan 1, 1970
0
I know it is bad to put a fluorescent lamp in a dimmer socket.
My question is will it shorten the life of a lamp to put a fluorescent bulb
in a lamp with a 3 position switch?
I suspect that it does because the one I have tried in a desk lamp's life
seemed shorter.
For the most part the lamp burned continually so I wasn't even using the
switch.

I know the lamps are designed to put 120 on one filament for part of the
switch and 120 on both parts in the other position but I am not sure what
is happening when you turn on a fluorescent lamp.
 
S

SQLit

Jan 1, 1970
0
Kilowatt said:
I know it is bad to put a fluorescent lamp in a dimmer socket.
My question is will it shorten the life of a lamp to put a fluorescent bulb
in a lamp with a 3 position switch?
I suspect that it does because the one I have tried in a desk lamp's life
seemed shorter.
For the most part the lamp burned continually so I wasn't even using the
switch.

I know the lamps are designed to put 120 on one filament for part of the
switch and 120 on both parts in the other position but I am not sure what
is happening when you turn on a fluorescent lamp.

I would think when you lower the voltage to some point that the transformer
in the CF will be stressed. As to how long this will take for a failure, I
am unsure. Check the voltage requirements on the CF and see what they say.
Some older CF's were 100% harmonic content. Probably means a switching power
supply which might take a larger voltage spread.
 
A

Andrew Gabriel

Jan 1, 1970
0
On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 12:07:34 GMT, Kilowatt put forth the notion that...



It won't affect the fluorescent bulb at all. It's still going to get
the full 120 volts. Dual filament incandescents have an extra contact
on the base to provide a path for the extra filament. Your compact
fluorescent won't have the extra contact, but will light up normally
whenever the switch is providing 120V power to the center contact in the
socket.

You can get retrofit compact fluorescents for the dimmer sockets
(in the US -- I don't think these sockets exist anywhere else).
These lamps are really two separate units.
 
P

Paul

Jan 1, 1970
0
Checkmate said:
On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 12:07:34 GMT, Kilowatt put forth the notion that...



It won't affect the fluorescent bulb at all. It's still going to get
the full 120 volts. Dual filament incandescents have an extra contact
on the base to provide a path for the extra filament. Your compact
fluorescent won't have the extra contact, but will light up normally
whenever the switch is providing 120V power to the center contact in the
socket.

Sounds like he's referring to the type that uses an 1n1004 in series with
the lamp in the "dim" position. The diode is inside the socket.
 
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