Why is the Lutron dimmer getting so hot
BuiltBetter
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
The Lutron RA dimmers in a higher end house are getting too hot to touch. Two dimmers in a Box wired to 8-12 65 watt cans. I checked the amps at box only 4amps .How should I proceed besides getting a better electrician:)?
Replies
get a higher wattage rated switch.. you have between 500 and 800 watt load..
go for a 1000 watter...
WTB you have a 600W.. it's too light weight..
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Besides which, two dimmers side-by-side must be derated.
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
What does derated mean in this case?
Means if it is a 600W and next to another one, you can't use it with a 600 load, probably no more than 400W because the 2 dimmers overheat each other. Sometimes it says the derating on the package.
All of them that I have seen have a wide flange front plate made from aluminum. It forms a heat sink. It has two ears that will overlape to an dimmer installed next to it.The ears are scrored to be snapped off. They are stammped as to the amount that removing them derates the dimmer.The common home horror store dimmer is rated at 600 watts.IIRC each ear removed derates it by 100 or 150 watts.
Edited 11/17/2006 9:55 am by BillHartmann
How many watts is the dimmer rated?
Put them in their own boxes, or change to a 4-wide box with two spaces left empty.