Re: Does any wall dimmer have overload protection?

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:46:28 GMT, "peter" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message  <oWIKj.12622$lt2.1495@trndny05>:

>I have a remote wall switch that controls an outlet that I plug a lamp
into.
>This allows me to turn on/off the lamp from a remote and from the wall
>switch.
>
>Currently, this wall swtich is x10. Based on past experience, if I
>accidently plug in a vacuum cleaner into the switched outlet (there are
two
>in this room), it would fry the dimmer.
>
>I'm about to replace this wall dimmer with an insteon or z-wave based
>dimmer. Do any of these offer better protection against overload (vacuum
>cleaner, hair dryer, etc)?
>

You've discovered part of the reason why it is a violation of the US
National Electrical code (NEC) code to use a dimmer to control a wall
outlet ;-)

One code-compliant solution is to use a switch (not a dimmer) on the wall.
With INSTEON, you can use a dimmer on the wall (which may or may not have
any load hardwired to it) 'linked' over the powerline to a lamplinc at the
outlet.  This works great in my experience, solves your vacuum cleaner
problem and is code compliant.

In our library, I have a floor lamp controlled by a LampLinc that is
programmed to dim along with the ceiling fixtures. INSTEON makes these
sorts of linkages practical. (Z-wave may also -- I dunno).

HTH ... Marc

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Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org