Touch Dimmers - do they meet current regs / tests ?

[ricky101]

Hi,

Replacing some old light fittings etc and doing a simple wiring test with a standard multimeter when I found L and N showing a varying 6M ohm reading.

Found it to be the touch switch dimmer to 2 x 60w bulbs.

Assume thats the off resistance of its Triac, but wondered if that classes as safe by todays standards and what would happen it the professional test equipment was used to check the house wiring, would it blow the dimmer or fail the tests ?

thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

doing a simple wiring test with a standard multimeter when I found L and N showing a varying 6M ohm reading.

I doubt that anyone but you knows what you mean by that - can you elucidate?

wondered if that classes as safe by todays standards

You can still buy touch dimmers, if that's what you mean?

and what would happen it the professional test equipment was used to check the house wiring, would it blow the dimmer or fail the tests ?

There are more and more things in houses these days which don't take kindly to 500V up them and/or skew the readings. The answer is to do IR tests between [L+N] and [E].

 

[Taylortwocities]

Hi,

Replacing some old light fittings etc and doing a simple wiring test with a standard multimeter when I found L and N showing a varying 6M ohm reading.

Found it to be the touch switch dimmer to 2 x 60w bulbs.

Assume thats the off resistance of its Triac, but wondered if that classes as safe by todays standards and what would happen it the professional test equipment was used to check the house wiring, would it blow the dimmer or fail the tests ?

thanks

I assume that you mean beween L to earth and from N to earth?

What would happen it the professional test equipment was used to check the house wiring, would it blow the dimmer or fail the tests ?

It depends on what test is done. Insulation Resistance tests typically present 500V DC to the circuit under test. Most devices, including dimmers, must be disconnected before doing IR testing as they can give false readings, or they can be fried!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If disconnected they have to be replaced with a temporary connection, or the IR test won't cover any cabling after the switch.

 

[eveares]

If disconnected they have to be replaced with a temporary connection, or the IR test won't cover any cabling after the switch.

Now is that not common sense BAS.

I assume that you mean beween L to earth and from N to earth?

Replacing some old light fittings etc and doing a simple wiring test

So I assume the tests were at the ceiling rose, and you were testing between the switched Line and Neutral; or between SW L/N and Earth? Bit ambiguous on how exactly you were testing, can you please clarify.

Either way the high impedance reading is probably just the touch dimmer letting some current through giving you a high impedance, might be that it is a two wire dimmer what normally gets powered through a low amount of current leaking through the bulb even when the light is normally off.

 

[JohnW2]

There are more and more things in houses these days which don't take kindly to 500V up them and/or skew the readings. The answer is to do IR tests between [L+N] and [E].

Indeed - but even if you do that, I presume there can be no certainty that any (L-E and N-E) filter capacitors will necessarily survive?

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

wondered if that classes as safe by todays standards

You can still buy touch dimmers, if that's what you mean?


You can buy lots of stuff which isn't safe, and from well known suppliers as well.
Remember this:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplu...8_1445104980_3631098e83b9d9e2b3fd743202a93c92

 

[PBC_1966]

Now is that not common sense BAS.

Perhaps, but something which people can easily overlook. Like testing 2-way lighting circuits with the switches in both on configurations in order to test both travelers.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Now is that not common sense BAS.

Sometimes common sense is so rare it's like a superpower.

 

[seasickstevie]

... Like testing 2-way lighting circuits with the switches in both on configurations in order to test both travelers.

But how many actually do that I wonder.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

All those who are not lying when they certify that they exercised reasonable skill and care?