ANSWERS: 1
  • <h4 class="dechead">On One Hand: Quartz Lights Are Certainly Dimmable

    Quartz lights are more commonly known as halogen lights. Like other kinds of incandescent bulbs, mains voltage (that is, 120-volt) halogen lights can be dimmed using standard dimmers. Some halogen lights require dimmers that are rated for twice the amount of wattage than the lights themselves.

    On the Other: Low-Voltage Quartz Lights Are a Little Trickier

    Low-voltage halogen lights require transformers to reduce the mains voltage to the operating voltage (12 volts). These transformers are either electronic or magnetic and they require different types of dimmers. Note that not all electronic transformers are suitable for use with dimmers.

    Bottom Line

    Installing dimmers for mains voltage quartz (halogen) lights is fairly easy--just make sure that the rating of the switch is high enough. Installing a dimmer for a low-voltage light system is more complicated and requires matching the switch to the transformer.

    Source:

    Dimmer FAQ at Pegasus Associates Lighting

    Fundamentals of Low-Voltage Lighting

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy