[DeTomaso] Hot Dimmer Switch

[Thomas Tornblom]

F&D Terry skrev:
> I have a very limited knowledge of the characteristics of electricity 
> but wouldn't a rheostat of a higher wattage rating heat up less? Just a 
> thought.

No.

For a given light output you need to feed the bulbs a given voltage. The 
difference between this voltage and the voltage on the electrical system 
needs to be burned off as heat, and it doesn't matter what wattage the 
rheostat has, as long as it is higher than what you burn off, or it will 
burn out.

It is possible/likely though that a higher rated rheostat has a larger 
cooling surface, which will help to keep the temps down, but the amount 
of heat/energy emitted is the same.

Thomas


> 
> Fred T.
> 
> Tomas Gunnarsson wrote:
> 
>> Art,
>>
>> There is no efficiency gain to be had by switching from one rheostat ot another. They all have the same power loss at a given output voltage.
>>
>> Tomas
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Art Stephens" <artstephens at charter.net>
>> To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
>> Sent: den 19 mars 2007 07:45
>> Subject: [DeTomaso] Hot Dimmer Switch
>>
>>
>>  
>>
>>>     I ran for years with no dimmer switch for the gauges.  After installing the new AutoMeter speedo and tach,  I hooked up the dimmer switch again because the new units were so bright.  Now that dimmer runs hot.  It gets so hot that I'm pretty sure if given enough time,  the bezel will be too hot to touch.  My main concern here is fire.  Has anyone out there replaced their rheostat with something a little more efficient?
>>>
>>> Art
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