Body
Hi Warren,
"What do you think could be done to make a substitute for the dimmer to be more reliable?"
Use a more powerful dimmer. Without knowing why it went dead my guess is that it went too hot. Using a higher rated TRIAC with proper cooling should do it. A TRIAC rated for perhaps 10A to 20A and at least twice the peak voltage being used might do it.
The relative fast turn on of the TRIAC generates lots of harmonics at radio frequencies. This is illegal here and a proper HF filter must be applied. The filter is usually an inductor combined with a capacitor. But this may also kill the self-running mode.
The vibration or hum felt when slightly touching capacitive coupled metal parts of appliances is because of the weak current running through the decoupling capacitors of mains filters. In my country where many appliances aren't grounded (double insulation required and ground fault current monitored) except in special areas or uses this hum can be felt on metal enclosures. Here is simple mains filter taken from this page (https://interferencetechnology.com/mains-input-filters-what-is-inside-the-box-and-why/ https://interferencetechnology.com/mains-input-filters-what-is-inside-the-box-and-why/):
As can be seen when the earth ground (EG) isn't used the EG potential is floating at half the voltage of the line voltage. The two capacitors connecting to EG forms a capacitive voltage divider. The current is small but still big enough to be felt as hum when slightly touching the EG of a metal cabinet not grounded and one self having good connection to ground.
Regards
Ole
---In [email protected], <schoonersolsticemoon@...> wrote :
Ole What do you think could be done to make a substitute for the dimmer to be more reliable?
Of course, I would rather just buy one at my local hardware store electrical department
Cheers Warren
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On Fri., 28 Jun. 2019 at 8:22 p.m., onielsen@... [EVGRAY]
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Warren,
What is this Romex and where to get it?
Light dimmer circuit (https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2012/jul/home-lighting-controllers-offer-dimming-compatibility https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2012/jul/home-lighting-controllers-offer-dimming-compatibility):
Here is a circuit with some component values:
Source: http://www.oocities.org/tjacodesign/dimmer/dimmer.html http://www.oocities.org/tjacodesign/dimmer/dimmer.html
Regards
Ole
---In [email protected], <schoonersolsticemoon@...> wrote :
Dave The dimmer burning out? That dosen't sound bad. That sounds like there is power to spare, doesn't it?
What happens if you don't use the dimmer? Does the bulb blow?
And if the bulb blows, how can that be a bad thing? That just means there might be higher voltage available, wouldn't you agree?
So then , put two 100 watt light bulbs in series, or three .
Mahahaha, this is sounding like fun Dave, how could you possibly keep such a nice, simple device under wraps?
I have a friend in Tanzania, trying to get a whole village to prosper growing high quality peanuts.
They could sure use electricity, in their operation.
Here in Canada, in the far North, whole villages of people have to have diesel air delivered, by twin Otter float planes, to power the town generator.
Groceries? Diet? Global warming and the seal hunt, the caribou hunt, and teen suicides?
Electricity could change the whole venue. Hydroponic gardens, heat and communications with a larger World that doesn't just represent financial predators.
Oh those predators, they might get a little feisty no longer having a cash cow, quite the same way.
So, I can't see any down side, really.
It is time for this device to come out of the closet, and sing, and dance.
Let's see what we can do with these things, and once working , get the young egg heads in, to try to noodle it out, why it works.
So now, let's get some working!
Okay guys, wake up! Break time is over. It is time to polish up your Variac, and break the bank, buying six feet of Romex, and a bunch of old fashioned, incandescent light bulbs, before they are out of stock.
Thanks to Dave
Cheers Warren
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On Fri., 28 Jun. 2019 at 6:09 p.m., libra_spirit@... [EVGRAY]
<[email protected]> wrote:
Warren,
Unfortunately the lamp dimmer burned up on the third trial out. It was the smallest one they had back then.
I replaced it but never worked on this again.
Looks like the Autotransformer likely does have an iron core of some kind, don't know why I thought that when I took it all apart back then. I do remember the toroidal width of the coil inside it is 4" outside diameter.
Most all these component concepts came from Floyd Sweets diagrams, and videos.
The diodes are - Mouser pn 511-BYT03-400 [ 3 Amp 400 volt ultra fast damper ]
Dave L