allegro wrote on Feb 8
th, 2007 at 8:19pm:
Great to see the use of a proper phone number. Unfortunately the answer they gave is almost certainly wrong. AFAIK, none of the compact fluorescent (AKA low energy) bulbs are dimmable. At best you won't get the desired result. At worst you could damage the bulbs and/or the dimmer though you won't start a fire or anything really nasty.
I was replacing a dimmer switch with a conventional switch so I could fit the low energy bulbs so the new switch is likely to have been compatible.
I only raised the question because an MK conventional (non dimmable) switch that I tried to fit to replace the dimmer switch but that disintegrated when I tried to connect the mains wires in the terminals (not what you expect from MK) actually specifically said it was suitable for fluorescent bulbs. This one just says it supports up to 10amps, which ought to be enough for a 90w load. But logically a conventional switch is bound to be fine.
I know a dimmer doesn't work. When I tried them with the dimmer they were flickering wildly even with the dimmer turned right up.
These are low energy R80 fluorescents by the way. A place called
www.yourwelcome.co.uk sold them for £1.20 each on an offer but B&Q charge £20 each for an R80 low energy replacements. Only snag is they seem to be 18W each rather than 12W as I was expecting but when you consider I had five on my overhead kitchen spot tracks and this cuts the consumption from 300W to 90W its still a cost effective result . I can't justify the other £94 on buying the bulbs to save the other 30W. These seem fine but give off a much harsher whiter light than the spot bulbs did. Those gave a more yellow warm light.