X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: fegarex on December 14, 2014, 02:52:51 PM
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OK... I tried to search and did not find the answer but I am guessing it has been asked a million times.
Can the WS467 be used on florescent bulbs? I have an older shop that has 2 four foot workshop light fixtures in several areas.
Not only is price an issue but none of these have a neutral wire and the box is quite small. Life would be simpler just using a WS467.
What will REALLY happen? With the earth end as we know it? Will it cause a nationwide blackout??
Seriously... Is there a major safety issue? I DO NOT intend to dim anything, just use the switch. Is it an issue of the switch not lasting as long or what?
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NO. Do not use a WS467 with a fluorescent bulbs.
The WS467 steals it power through the load and the load has to be an incandescent load.
Any other load {some dimmable LED Bulbs may work but not supported by X10} can damage the florescent bulb , the WS467 or both.
Even the dimmable CFL bulbs don't work correctly.
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Having an incandescent bulb in the line won't work? I know I had to add a small night light in the line of some florescent lights I had hooked up to appliance modules.
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I doubt it would work.
Minimum load on a WS467 is sixty watts.
Driving them with a triac use in dimmers. Even at 100% still chops a small part of the AC wave off. May cause problems.
You should get feedback form other that have tried it.
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With the earth end as we know it? Will it cause a nationwide blackout??
Seriously... Is there a major safety issue? I DO NOT intend to dim anything, just use the switch. Is it an issue of the switch not lasting as long or what?
Possibly. To buttress what Brian said; In the shop light situation, it is the magnetic ballist that does not like being fed by the triac in the WS467. Even when not dimmed, the waveform is distorted (yes even with 100W light bulb in circuit) and will likely overheat the ballast. I have burnt up several wall transformers by trying to run them on a triac device. Got hot enough to melt the case before the internal fuse link opened which stopped the probable house fire.
I do run a four tube ceiling fixture from a W467. But the WS467 powers a 60W bulb in parallel with a 120V coil relay. The relay contacts then put a closure across the original wall switch. Of course if I flip the wall switch ON, the relay loses all control of the light. The relay coil ias such a small load that it is not affected by the distorted waveform. The bulb helps smooth the waveform for the coil, but also provides the needed trickle current for the WS467. I got a 120VAC coil DPDT relay from either Radio Shark or "All Electronics". This is all in an unfinshed part of the basement and I just mounted the WS467bulb socket and relay is a double wall box nailed to a stud. Before putting this Rube Goldberg affair in service I did a burn-in test of the WS467, light bulb, and relay for several days to be sure the relay coil did not get warm.
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Thanks for the relies. I was hoping for another answer but now I know. I guess I am going to have to update the wiring and use the right stuff.