JHill9 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 There is a dimmer installed in my kitchen that seems to not come on to full power even though it is saying 100%. Anyone else have this problem? I also have another dimmer in the family room, lights are 8 feet away which is why I think the kitchen is not really at 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 If that dimmer is installed in a 'switch leg' configuration (i.e. the switch box does not have a true neutral), the lights will only light up to about 80% of their full power, so that the dimmer will have a potential (difference) between the hot and the load wires, to power the electronics of the dimmer.This is standard, but dimmers should only be wired 'switch leg' if the original circuit does not provide a neutral in the wall box.RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFUG Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 ^^And on a simpler level, is this during a push & hold command or just a one tap on button 1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Good point. Could have a preset level.I always go straight for the "wiring's screwed up" option... RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Switch is wired with a neutral, but I will get the meter out and check it tomorrow to confirm (new to me house).If put the kitchen and the family room at 50% you can really notice a difference. If I make them have the same intensity the kitchen would be at 50% and family room would be 20%. Of course I am judging this by using my eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 ^^And on a simpler level, is this during a push & hold command or just a one tap on button 1?Both ways seem to take the light to the same brightness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Kind of an obvious question, but: Are the bulbs the same wattage and # of bulbs?RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Kind of an obvious question, but: Are the bulbs the same wattage and # of bulbs?RyanEHa ha. Yeah, brand new can lights with all of the bulbs from the same box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Yeah, time to re-check the wiring, I'd think.RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFUG Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Last ditch effort here-1. Neutral is white wire/black is hot. Meter from bare wire to black and tell us what you get (hopefully not a shock )2. Swap bulbs just to rule-out a flake3. Swap dimmers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikon Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I would almost just connect the red to the black directly bypassing the dimmer just to see if the light comes on full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFUG Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Yeah, that would rule-out V-drop to the load. I was mostly thinking of low V on the up-side of the dimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 I haven't had time to check the nuteral yet but I had a normal dimmer wired in before swapping to the C4 dimmer and everything was ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 A 'normal' dimmer could mean anything from a *manual* dimmer, to an electronic dimmer with different characteristics.Also, you may just have a loose neutral, so the dimmer *thinks* it's in a Switch-leg situation. I don't remember the switch leg wiring, but it may be just the Hot and Load.RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 A 'normal' dimmer could mean anything from a *manual* dimmer, to an electronic dimmer with different characteristics.Also, you may just have a loose neutral, so the dimmer *thinks* it's in a Switch-leg situation. I don't remember the switch leg wiring, but it may be just the Hot and Load.RyanESorry, meant manual dimmer. Tomorrow I will pull the dimmer out and check the wiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C4-DN Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Have you already identified the dimmer in Composer? I had this issue when the dimmer was originally installed and identified when the lights were partially dimmed. Had the issue on a couple of lights in my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 Have you already identified the dimmer in Composer? I had this issue when the dimmer was originally installed and identified when the lights were partially dimmed. Had the issue on a couple of lights in my house.It is already identified but I can get them to disconnect it and reidentify it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clange02 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Is there a way to add a neutral to an existing circuit without pulling all new wiring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 No, I believe the neutral (by code) has to be within the same outer jacket as the hot for the circuit.RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 No, I believe the neutral (by code) has to be within the same outer jacket as the hot for the circuit.RyanEI think you are correct on the code issue. But I just dropped a neutral and a ground to a switch box so I could install another C4 switch. I am ok with not following the code to the "T". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 As long as you're also OK not selling your house, or not having insurance pay when it burns down (yes, I know it's unlikely).Personally, I figure if you're dropping a wire to the switch box, you may as well drop a Romex, and have it safe and legal.RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHill9 Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 As long as you're also OK not selling your house, or not having insurance pay when it burns down (yes, I know it's unlikely).Personally, I figure if you're dropping a wire to the switch box, you may as well drop a Romex, and have it safe and legal.RyanEYeah, that probably would have been better. Oh well, I don't want to get back in the attic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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