Bedroom lighting options

[men8ifr]

I have one main energy saving light in the bedroom and one (currently candle) light above the bed on a seperate circuit and dimmer.

I would like both lights to be energy saving, for both lights to come on from the main wall switch and then have the ability to switch the main light off from a switch near the bed leaving the light above the bed on but I would like that to be dimmable (and switch off-able) . Is this possible - how?

I would also like to use a PIR for the main wall switch but this would also need to be turned off at night otherwise it may go off! Is this possible?

 

[Chri5]

Retain the seperate circuits (if they are actually seperate fused circuits) and run a 3C+e from the wall switch to the intended bedside loaction.

Run a 3C+e from the existing bedside location to the wall switch point.

Buy 2w 2 switch faceplates for both positions and you will have wall switching for either the ceiling or wall light and bedside wall switching for the ceiling and wall light.

Dimmers are useless for LE lamps and nearly as useless for double switching setups.

Other than grid switches at £20+ per dimmer finding a switch that has a dimmer for one light and a switch for the other is a pain.

Can't really work out what benefit a PIR would have in the bedroom so I discounted it

 

[davelx]

There are now fully dimmable LE lamps that will work with a standard dimmer - I have one and it works pretty well.

However, the only format currently avalable is a 20W spiral:

http://www.varilight.co.uk/Pages/page digiflux.htm

which may not be suitable for the fitting you want.

(they are 11.95 in Q&B)

 

[men8ifr]

Thanks for the replies - so there is no way to incorporate the dimmer then?

 

[Spark123]

Not if you want to keep low energy lamps.

 

[Chri5]

There is, but at the £££££'s

From what you've asked am I right in thinking that you'd like :-

By door: double on/off with no dimming, control of the two light positions

(simple 2 way double l/switch cost £3)

By bed: double on / off switch with on side being a dimmer for the bedside light

(complex grid switch 2 w set, dimmer circa £25, switch circa £5)

Then the 2 x 3c+e cable routes between the existing switch locations.

Dimmer light will have to be LE dimmer allowed at £12 each.

If you need dimming then why not have:-

twin dimmer at bedside and simply not use the dimmer for the main ceiling light, or use it.

Then the cost of a 2w twin dimmer, and 2 dim abled LE lamps. Problem is that dimming LE bulbs with a mere 20w means that some dimmers won't work since the wattage is too low to be 'seen' as a dimmerable (new word that doesn't exist .

 

[davelx]

What Chris says about low load on normal dimmers is true. However. Varilight, who make those dimmable LEs, also make dimmers specifically designed to work well at lower loads.