[DeTomaso] Hot Dimmer Switch

[B. Seib]

The most obvious solution here is to replace the bulbs with lower wattage
ones so the dimmer doesn't have to do much/any reducing of voltage, so
less/no heat. Why not just cahnge the bulbs if they are too bright?
Maybe I missed something in the discussion?
Barry

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
[mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of Thomas Tornblom
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 6:05 AM
To: F&D Terry
Cc: Art Stephens; Tomas Gunnarsson; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Hot Dimmer Switch


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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