compact fluorescent lights

[rh71]

I put a couple in my office's hi-hats but it's making a buzzing noise - reading that it's because it's a dimmer and these are not dimmable CFLs. It says it may shorten the life of the CFL, but I also read that if I run it undimmed it theoretically shouldn't be a problem. But the buzzing is annoying and it's also coming from the lightswitch itself.

Is this hazardous? Sounds like a short -> spark -> fire waiting to happen.

Before I go out just to get some, do dimmable CFLs cause any buzzing?

 

[Mark R]

Dimmers don't go to full power. They only go up to about 90%.

The sudden switch on/off technique that the dimmers use, will cause a lot of buzzing when used with CFLs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ManDzw8QrCA

I made a short vid that shows what happens with a lamp dimmer, and how it distorts and disturbs the mains voltage, even at full power.

 

[FoBoT]

just get some LED's and be done with it

 

[Red Squirrel]

CFLs should not be used with dimmers, unless you get the ones with a special ballast that will handle them.

Even incads will buzz with a dimmer though, but it's normal, has to do with the way the dimmers cut the power at each cycle.