Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Installed dimmer... now lights buzz

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Eddie in MI

01-05-2007 19:16:55




Report to Moderator

I installed a dimmer switch to control the light fixture in my dining room. The problem is that when I dim the lights, I can hear that 60 cycle hum. Is there any way around this short of not using the dimmer?




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
jeffcat

01-07-2007 23:01:29




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to Eddie in MI, 01-05-2007 19:16:55  
Here ya go Eddie. If you listen to Coast to coast at night on the radio you have heard the commercials for Ckrane. CC radio makes a dimmer that doesn't "ring". Check their web site. That ring can really drive ya nuts. Some of the bulbs for rough service have five supports where regular bulbs have three. You can try them too. jeffcat



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
KEB

01-07-2007 09:27:48




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to Eddie in MI, 01-05-2007 19:16:55  
Agree that the whining is most likely the filaments in the bulbs vibrating. Might try a different brand of bulb.

The typical household dimmer works by clipping off part of each AC cycle, which reduces the average voltage (and therefore brightness) but not the peak voltage. The resulting waveform applied to the bulb is a series of short pulses rather than a nice smooth sine wave. The rapidly changing current results in a pulsed magentic field around the filament (as opposed to the smoothly changing field with a sine wave) thereby making some filaments vibrate. Some will vibrate more than others depending on the physical arrangement of the filament.

Keith

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
circus

01-06-2007 20:46:11




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to Eddie in MI, 01-05-2007 19:16:55  
I was told dimmers consume the same as none dimmer.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Charles (in GA)

01-06-2007 15:03:06




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to Eddie in MI, 01-05-2007 19:16:55  
I have a dimmer in my bathroom with four 60W bulbs, they are the fan type bulbs, regular medium base but smaller glass, and heavy filiments for use on fans. They make a whining noise when they are dimmed, it is very high pitched and many people probably can't even hear it. I think its the filiment vibrating, These new dimmers work by lopping off part of the alternating cycle, which is already an on-off-on-off cycle anyhow, and I think the additional on-off of the dimmer is too much.

Charles

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
TomTX

01-06-2007 13:09:15




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to Eddie in MI, 01-05-2007 19:16:55  
You never did tell us. Are you using incandescent bulbs? Tom



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Eddie in MI

01-06-2007 20:54:25




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to TomTX, 01-06-2007 13:09:15  
Yes... the are indeed incandescent bulbs.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Eddie in MI

01-06-2007 08:13:12




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to Eddie in MI, 01-05-2007 19:16:55  
I think I will switch to another brand of bulb (I am currently using Sylvania Daylight bulbs) because the humming is coming from the bulbs themselves. We'll see what that does.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
dave guest

01-05-2007 20:15:49




Report to Moderator
 Re: Installed dimmer... now lights buzz in reply to Eddie in MI, 01-05-2007 19:16:55  
First you are using dimmer on incandescent lamps, right. That said, dimmer limit I think is 600 watts. Check to be sure. If large fixture, make sure all screws are snug. Sometimes sockets rattle. Some imported bulbs rattle. Try another dimmer, last resort. Fluorescent lamps call for special dimmer and dimming ballast to match. Some ceiling fans hum and you just have to buy another one. Forty years experience and some times these thing happen. Even wire nuts could make noise. Low voltage in house, too. Tell me what you find, never too old to learn.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy