Compact fluorescent light bulbs and dimmer problems:(

[Zucchini]

I'm changing most of the house lights in the house to save power.. i do live in california u know I tried connecting one up to a socket that has a dimmer and it flickered like crazy. Are there dimmers out there that are compatible with compact fluorescent bulbs? or bulbs that are compatible with dimmers?

hmm and for changing wall switches, just have to hit the circuit breaker b4 doing that stuff right? i'm a newbie

 

[Viper GTS]

Compact flourescents require very consistent power, which a dimmer is specifically designed not to provide.

Viper GTS

 

[Capn]

you can get a flourescent dimmer, but these cost $$.

Check out:
Here
and here

 

[Moonbeam]

Maybe it would be better, since you're saving power, not to dim them, or use a regular bulb and keep it dimmed.

 

[RU482]

I recently bought a CF bulb that specfically advertised that it was OK to be used in photocells and dimmer circuits. It was the same price as most of the other CF bulbs. I think it was either GE or Panasonic, I can't remember.

MOST CF bulbs are NOT compatible with dimmer circuits

 

[Zucchini]

well i mostly have panasonic bulbs.. good stuff electronic balast so no buzzing color is decent.. and they seem to meet light output spec. I don't really want to dim the thing, just want the option of dimming normal bulb later or something. rest of rooms don't have dimmers, so its only one problem.

just don't buy cheapie brand units.. they are pathetic from what i've read.. will probably break b4 u recoup investment.

 

[warlord]

one way to dim a set of fluorescent bulbs is to not put one of them in. I know it sounds cheezy, but it works.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Lights of America (LOA) seems to have the worst bulbs & reputation. & yep, just flip the circut breaker before changing the switches.