Where to find a replacement foot dimmer for halogen

[damian123]

I am really struggling to find a replacement part for a halogen floor lamp. The part I am trying to replace appears to be Korean and I cannot source it anywhere.

Original part is: Anchorn AA-6202RV1
It has input: 220-240V and outputs 11.5V 35-120W (120W max)

The closest thing I can find is something on a website called Mr Resistor but it is either 60W or 160W.

I am quite a novice with electrics and therefore assume if I replace it with a 160W or 300W output device it will blow up.

Does anyone have any suggestions where I can get a replacement from?

Cheers.
Damian

 

[sparkybird]

Hi Damian

The clue in the the range of the load for your existing dimmer which is 35-120W. This means it can dim not more than 120W of lighting and not less than 35W. Do you know what the total load (in W) of the light is? eg 3 x 20W lights = 60W. Then you can work out if the other dimmers are suitable - as long as your lighting load falls in their 'range' you'll be OK.

Check the Mr Resistor site again for this info.

TLC do a touch dimmer which is a bit cheaper..
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...s_All/Wiring_Accessories~Dimmers_3/index.html

Hope this is helpful

SB

Edited: Yes as the next poster pointed out you need to check the dimmer can handle extra low voltage. The TLC one will, but not if the transformer is electronic.

 

[333rocky333]

A dimmer is proberly no good, if the output is 11.5 v then it has a transformer built in as well.

http://www.cens.com/cens/html/en/product/product_main_22280.html

 

[damian123]

Wow, quick replies, I think I am going to like this site


The lamp uses 10x 10W G4 bulbs, therefore 100W in total.

Picture of the unit (hope this works?):

//media.diynot.com/118000_117444_9133_33693248_thumb.jpg

Hhmm, it does look like a transformer to me when I open it up.

Cheers
Damian

 

[ColJack]

looks swedish to me...

has D S Fi and N in circles at the bottom for Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway..

 

[slup]

The text on that unit is German...

I'm a bit concerned that the OP isn't looking at the right things either.

Mr Resistor only sell one 240V > 12V Dimmer and it's rated at 60W. All the other ones are 240V ones.

Could use that 60W one and change the lamps for 5W ones, or try and find something else more suitable.

 

[damian123]

Thanks sup. Good idea to switch to 5W bulbs. It is a real shame that we can't use this lamp as it is not cheap to replace. It is a nice tree of individual lamps and used to create a really good effect in the room.

I find it a little odd that something like this is so difficult to find.

Is it something that I could get repaired do you think?

Cheers
Damian

 

[damian123]

I just had a reply from Mr Resistor website claiming that this product would work:


http://www.mr-resistor.co.uk/item.aspx?g=&t=603&r=604&i=5541&a=

This doesn't make sense to me? Surely a 300W unit would blow things up when i am looking for a 120W unit? Sorry, I know this seems simple but I just want to check.

 

[ColJack]

removed incorrect and dangerous advice... please ignore...

 

[slup]

The 300W one outputs 240V. One that outputs 12V is required....

As I posted earlier, the only unit that Mr Resistor stock that is any good is 60W. It's also expensive.

One cheaper alternative is to buy any of the 240V ones (of at least 100W) rating, then connect a suitable transformer after it.

Steve

 

[ColJack]

absolutely right and my bad....

I didn't re-read all of the post and had forgot that it was 12v lamps..

 

[damian123]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I have just found this:

http://www.kaoyi.com/diyhp/jsp/sf_p...30285/mmobj/attachment/987259252558678037.jpg

Would this work. It seems to output just below the wattage I am looking for so would this work and most importantly be SAFE?

EDIT:
Oh, I can't actually buy just one of these? US company aswell?

 

[dannyboi2003]

Getting a combined dimmer and transformer isn't going to easy or cheap. A simpler solution would be to use one of these:

http://www.mr-resistor.co.uk/item.aspx?&t=603&r=604&i=5541
or
http://www.mr-resistor.co.uk/item.aspx?&t=603&r=604&i=5559

and then use a separate transformer:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LTYT105.html

So you would wire from the mains plug to the input of the dimmer, then the output of the dimmer to the input of the transformer then the output of the transformer to your lamp.

Its not the most elegant solution but its safe and the transformer can be tucked away from view anyway.

All the best
Dan

 

[ColJack]

oh jesh... I should have left some of my other post in tact...



you need a dimmer with a wattage of MORE than your load...

you say 120W, so you need a dimmer capable of dimming more than 120W..

rest assured that your lights will draw only as much power as they need, so you'd be safe with a 1000W dimmer...

it's the voltage that you must get right..

lets try an analogy for you..

if you wanted to build a barbeque and it needed 120 bricks, but your local B&Q only had 100 in stock then your barbeque would be a little shorter than you wanted..

if B&Q had 1000 bricks in stock then you can take 120 and make the barbeque the size you want it..

if you needed 4 inch high bricks, but B&Q sent 9 inch blocks then your barbeque would be more than double the height you want it and unusable..

 

[damian123]

Great analogy.

I never really could visualise potential difference when studying physics but understood current much more easily.

Right then, so having a 300W output (despite needing less) it is just "making upto that amount available" if the lamps want to draw it.

This is great. I think I am learning something here