theatre-style light switches

[fubar]

Hi,

I have a customer - an infirm couple - with 8 candle lamps in their sitting room. Every time one of the candle lamps blows, the MCB trips. Changing the fittings is not an option.

I've tried replacing the MCB with a 6A type "C" and tried a couple of different manufacturers for the candle lamps, all with no improvement.

My multimeter shows that the supply is frequently towards the top end of the allowable voltage range.

I guess I could inspect and test the entire circuit then uprate it to 10A, but I'm wondering if changing the light switch might be a solution. Does anyone know of an easy-to-use switch that ramps up and down smoothly? And do such switches really fix the MCB trip problem or do they just extend lamp life a little?

Clearly touch switches and rotary dimmers are out. A standard MK white plastic switch is fitted at the moment.

--
Michael

 

[plugwash]

use a 5A fuse

if the CU can take it fit one directly in the CU

if it can't then fit a large breaker (B32 or so) in the CU and run from here into a FCU to protect the cuircuit

 

[breezer]

theatres now (usually) use dmx to operate the lights, plugwash's idea although "Novel" would involve rewiring to get to the feed for the lights, i cant remeber where (may be this forum, but this post may jog a memory) some one mentioned "a box" that will ramp lamps on and off, but just now i cant think of it

 

[securespark]

Mk Logic Plus Wide Rocker are good